Android 2.3/3.0 Releases

There has been some talk about being two Android releases upcoming as in Android 2.3 and Android 3.0. What follows is speculation and best guess.

OpenGL ES 2.0 implementation was slightly goofed up namely the java bindings. The Android 2.3 release cold be a fix for those OpenGL ES 2.0 java bindings. Mario’s OpenGL 2.0 wrapper is here. You can see how the fix was too late for Froyo, in this message.What other fixes could be included is the revamp of the UI.

I think Android 3.0 is different in that it could include the usblib work that has been occurring to develop a  public USB API for the application level. That would probably mean no longer only one module usb ports but true AB USB ports from OEMs for android devices and true USB data synching-out-of-box with no hacking to enable. Other possible items that might be included OpenGL ES 3.0(I meant to say that one could see with heavy use of GPUs and dual core cpus in android devices a need to include the OpenGL 3.0 core since its openGL 2.0 compatible.).

At this point its pure speculation until we get other information, however Google/OHA could do what they did earlier this year in that there would be soft release for 2.2 to fix the openGL ES 2.0 java bindings and than a Android 3.0 release before the end of he year with most of the change sin the Android 3.0 release.

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OpenGL EGL Config_android 2.0

In Android 1.1 to Androidd 1.6 EGL configuraitons were being read/sorted worng  and thus:

 

nt[] configSpec = {
        EGL10.EGL_RED_SIZE,      5,
        EGL10.EGL_GREEN_SIZE,    6,
        EGL10.EGL_BLUE_SIZE,     5,
        EGL10.EGL_DEPTH_SIZE,   16,
        EGL10.EGL_NONE
}; 

would work on Android 1.1 through Android 1.6. However, in Andoroid 2.0 you have to use:

nt[] configSpec = {
        EGL10.EGL_RED_SIZE,      5,
        EGL10.EGL_GREEN_SIZE,    6,
        EGL10.EGL_BLUE_SIZE,     5,
        EGL10.EGL_DEPTH_SIZE,   16,
        EGL10.EGL_DONT_CARE
}; 

as the higher config beynd 565 was being sorted read first hence the error.

OpenGL Debugging

Often you have to trun off Log.* statements, Debug.* statements, etc so I sue a simple System.out.print set-up:

public class SystemOutPrint {

	/**
	 *
	 * @param str
	 */
	public SystemOutPrint(String str){
		System.out.print(str);

	}

	/**
	 *
	 * @param obj
	 */
	public SystemOutPrint(Object obj) {
		System.out.print(obj);
	}

	/**
	 *
	 * @param obj
	 * @param str
	 */
	public SystemOutPrint(Object obj, String str) {
		System.out.print(obj);
		System.out.print(str);
	}

RedBook, OpenGL Version 1.0

If you noticed the RedBook for OpenGL is now at 1.1 at the main site however Android is still at OpenGL 1.0 for Android 1.6. This should be the RedBook for OpenGL version 1.0,

Android Technical Article writing

Several weeks ago I applied for an Android Instructor position. During that process I prepared rough drafts of materials covering these Android Programmign areas:

Android WebView Web Programming Using Google Web Toolkit

Android 2D OpenGL Game Programming

Android Advanced Agile Techniques

Android Advanced Programming Replacing Default  Applications

Android Game Programming using the Simple Framework

Obviously, the Android WebView Web Programming Using GWT was the most complete one. Obviously, if Apress approves that one I should turn in another book proposal in late October or November. Obviously, the game areas would be the most popular area since OpenGL in Android 1.6 is now entirely fixed. Certainly, Game Programming Using the Simple Framework may be more appealing with the project handset sale sin q4-09 and q1-10 as its basically using the basic computer language to put together the Android Components like Lego blocks into a functional game.

But, I do not have to make that decision until after Apress approves the Android WebView Web Programming Using GWT Book Proposal and than not until possibly November. And on top of that I have my set of Mock Test Object classes to finish and process through the Android Project Code approval process. It will be an interesting set of months.