Smashing Android UI
Published on 15. October 2012
Book
Paperback/Softback
384 pages
978-1-118-38728-3 (ISBN)
Description
Designers and developers, create smashing apps for Android devices If you're developing applications for Android smartphones and tablets, you know it isn't enough just to create the app. The application has to be intuitive, well laid out, and easy to use. Smashing Android UI shows you just how to do that. Starting with basic components, this practical, full-color book shows you how to create scalable layouts, make use of adaptive layouts and fragments, follow Android design best practices, and design sleek, intuitive user interfaces using Android UI design patterns. One of the newest guides in the terrific Smashing Magazine book series, this book takes you beyond the basics with expert techniques and innovative ideas. Learn smart solutions that will help you avoid pitfalls while building apps that can scale up to a multitude of possible Android device-and-browser combinations.
Teaches practical techniques for developing and designing applications that work on all Android phones and tablets Helps developers who have Android experience, but not necessarily design experience, as well as designers who want to follow Android design best practices and patterns Starts with how to use simple components and then moves on to building scalable layouts Covers adaptive layouts and fragments, responsive design, and how to design user interfaces using Android UI design patterns Smashing Android UI: Responsive Android UI and Design Patterns for Phones and Tablets helps you create apps for the hottest thing in technology--Android devices!
Teaches practical techniques for developing and designing applications that work on all Android phones and tablets Helps developers who have Android experience, but not necessarily design experience, as well as designers who want to follow Android design best practices and patterns Starts with how to use simple components and then moves on to building scalable layouts Covers adaptive layouts and fragments, responsive design, and how to design user interfaces using Android UI design patterns Smashing Android UI: Responsive Android UI and Design Patterns for Phones and Tablets helps you create apps for the hottest thing in technology--Android devices!
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
col. Illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 230 mm
Width: 187 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
872 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-118-38728-3 (9781118387283)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Juhani Lehtimaki is a passionate Android developer who loves good design and great innovation. Originally from Finland, he works as the head of Android and Google TV development at Snapp TV in Munich, Germany.
Content
PART I: INTRODUCTION TO ANDROID DESIGN 1 Chapter 1: Introduction to Usability and User Interface Design 3 Considering Technology versus Design 4 Understanding the Mental Model 5 Designing for Users 10 No App Will Do Everything; Pick Your Battles 13 You Are the Expert; Users Are Not Designers 14 Know Your Users; Design for Real People 14 Summary 16 Chapter 2: Don't Start Coding Just Yet 19 Prototyping 20 Tools for Design 22 User Testing 26 Summary 29 Chapter 3: Considerations in Designing for Mobile and Touch Devices 31 Designing for Mobile 32 Designing for Touch Interfaces 38 Summary 41 Chapter 4: Exploring the Android Platform 43 Challenges of the Android Platform 44 Android Versions 52 Android App Distribution 55 What Does Open Source Mean? 57 Summary 58 PART II: ANDROID PLATFORM FEATURES AND UI COMPONENTS 61 Chapter 5: Android App Structure and Online Guidelines 63 Android App Structure Overview 64 Android Project Structure Overview 67 Offi cial Android Guidelines 69 Summary 71 Chapter 6: Android Intents 73 Intents Allow Apps to Work Together 74 Using Social Networks And Sharing 76 Working with Browsers 76 How Do Android Intents Work? 79 Creating Your Own Actions 85 Intents Are Everywhere 85 Intents versus Th ird-Party APIs 86 Summary 86 Chapter 7: Android App Navigation Structure 87 Components of Android Navigation, Activities, and Intents 88 Android Navigation Controls 89 Summary 102 Chapter 8: Home Screen App Widgets 103 Uses of Home Screen App Widgets 104 Updating App Widget Data 108 App Widget Layout and Functionality 110 Implementing an App Widget 115 Summary 117 Chapter 9: Notifying and Informing Users 119 Android Notifi cation Methods 120 When to Notify Users 122 When Not to Notify Users 128 Avoiding Pop-Ups 129 Getting the Most from Status Bar Notifi cations 130 Summary 136 Chapter 10: Designing For Hardware Buttons, Input Methods, and Sensors 137 Designing for the Touch Screen 138 Designing Phone Hardware Buttons 139 Designing for the On-Screen Keyboard 140 Designing for Hardware Keyboards 148 Designing for D-Pads And Trackballs 149 Designing for the Stylus 150 Designing for Voice Control 150 Designing for External Keyboards, Mice, and Touchpads 151 Designing for Connected Smart Accessories 152 Designing for Sensors 152 Designing for a Second Screen 153 Summary 154 Chapter 11: Designing Platform User Interface Components 155 Using User Interface Widgets 156 Customizing User Interface Widgets 168 Adjusting the Typography 170 Using Icons 176 Using Animations and Transitions 182 Summary 191 PART III: SCALABLE ANDROID DESIGN 193 Chapter 12: Managing Android Resources 195 Using Android Resources 196 Designing for Screen Density 197 Designing for Screen Size and Form 202 Designing for Language and Region 204 Designing for Device Controls 204 Designing for Platform Versions 205 Designing for Device Modes 205 Summary 206 Chapter 13: Android App Layouts 207 Android Layout Strategy 208 Layouts from XML and Code 210 Layout Managers 210 Defining a Layout Size 220 Scrolling 220 Z Axis, Layout Order 221 Padding and Margin 221 Import and Merge Layout Files 222 Custom Layouts 223 Android Development Tools User Interface Builder 223 Debugging Layouts 224 Summary 225 Chapter 14: Scalable Graphics 227 Nine-Patching 228 Drawable XML 233 Drawing from Code 240 Summary 244 Chapter 15: Beyond Scalable -- Responsive Design 245 More Android Devices Th an Just Phones 246 Understanding Responsive Design 248 Common Ways to Create Responsive User Interfaces 259 Summary 261 Chapter 16: Implementing Responsive User Interfaces 263 Introduction to Fragments 264 Fragment and Activity Architecture 266 Migrating Existing Apps 268 Looking at an Example App 269 Summary 282 PART IV: ANDROID UI DESIGN PATTERNS 283 Chapter 17: Introduction to User Interface Design Patterns 285 User Interface Design Patterns 286 Benefits of Using UI Design Patterns 287 Design Patterns in Android Design Guidelines 288 User Interface Design Patterns Found in Th is Book 288 Summary 290 Chapter 18: User Action Design Patterns 291 Using the Action Bar Pattern 292 Using the Quick Actions Design Pattern 300 Using the Action Drawer Design Pattern 306 Using the Pull-to-Refresh Design Pattern 308 Using the Swipe-to-Dismiss Gesture 311 Summary 314 Chapter 19: Navigation and Layout Design Patterns 315 Using Stacked Galleries 316 Using the Dashboard 318 Using Workspaces 322 Using Split View 326 Using the Expand-in-Context Pattern 329 Using Side Navigation 332 Summary 335 Chapter 20: Data Design Patterns 337 Using Dynamic Lists 338 Using the Image Placeholder Pattern 340 Using the Non-Forced Login Pattern 342 Using the Drag-to-Reorder Handle Pattern 345 Summary 347 Chapter 21: User Interface Design Anti-Patterns 349 Avoid Using the Splash Screen 350 Avoid Using the Tutorial Screen 351 Avoid Using the Confi rmation Window 353 Avoid Using the On-Screen Back Button 353 Avoid Using the Menu Button 355 Avoid Hiding the Status Bar 355 Avoid Using Swipe Overlay for Quick Actions 356 Avoid Using Non-Android Designs 357 Summary 359