Fastest way to develop this android app?

Raffy · Jul 6, 2013

Hey guys,
I have no experience with mobile apps but I have an idea for an android app I'd like to develop. Hopefully someone here can give me some guidance on the fastest way and right tools to use to develop it. Google hasn't been very helpful.

I'd like to create a simple app that uses geolocation and interacts with a backend database through a JSON API. I know how to build the backend but I've never developed a mobile app and I don't know Java so I'm not sure of the best way to start. Could anyone point me in the right direction or recommend some resources or tools to get it done as simply and quickly as possible? Preferably without having to learn a new language. Thanks

shindig · Jul 6, 2013

Raffy said:
Hey guys,
I have no experience with mobile apps but I have an idea for an android app I'd like to develop. Hopefully someone here can give me some guidance on the fastest way and right tools to use to develop it. Google hasn't been very helpful.

I'd like to create a simple app that uses geolocation and interacts with a backend database through a JSON API. I know how to build the backend but I've never developed a mobile app and I don't know Java so I'm not sure of the best way to start. Could anyone point me in the right direction or recommend some resources or tools to get it done as simply and quickly as possible? Preferably without having to learn a new language. Thanks

Unity 3d game engine. Gives methods for working wtih gps data, works with google maps, etc.

Can make 2d apps just the same. Has a WWW class to work with web server. Best of all, they made their Basic android and ios licenses free rather than $800 for both which is what they used to charge, and you can do what you want with the free license...you can convert the same code to publish for android in an apk or compile in xcode for ios.

thejake · Jul 7, 2013

http://www.phonegap.com/ is probably the quickest easiest framework for making android apps without knowing much android and stuff like http://ripple.incubator.apache.org/ lets you prototype with it without using a mobile device or full emulator.

wuquater · Jul 7, 2013

thejake said:
http://www.phonegap.com/ is probably the quickest easiest framework for making android apps without knowing much android and stuff like http://ripple.incubator.apache.org/ lets you prototype with it without using a mobile device or full emulator.

OP this is the answer you are looking for,

develop backend, use phonegap to retrive data and render it in frontend with phonegap

phracktl · Jul 7, 2013

You don't say what langs you know.

Unity is great, but sounds like overkill for this. PhoneGap is OK, but I class it as abandonware (and havent kept u with it). Have a look at Appcelerator if you know JS. Its more solid in every way (finsihed app, ecosystem...)

I also like LiveCode. Its feature rich, cross platform. Still, you could be finished in a week as the language is so simple: basically its hypercard, if you remember that. License might put you off though. Its free for open source & about $500 if you want to make a closed source app

Raffy · Jul 7, 2013

shindig said:
Unity 3d game engine. Gives methods for working wtih gps data, works with google maps, etc.

Can make 2d apps just the same. Has a WWW class to work with web server. Best of all, they made their Basic android and ios licenses free rather than $800 for both which is what they used to charge, and you can do what you want with the free license...you can convert the same code to publish for android in an apk or compile in xcode for ios.

Thanks for the suggestion. It sounds like Unity is more than is needed for this but I'd eventually like to learn it.

thejake said:
http://www.phonegap.com/ is probably the quickest easiest framework for making android apps without knowing much android and stuff like http://ripple.incubator.apache.org/ lets you prototype with it without using a mobile device or full emulator.

Never heard of Ripple before. Thanks for the link.

phracktl said:
You don't say what langs you know.

JS, Ruby, and a little PHP and C#

phracktl said:
Unity is great, but sounds like overkill for this. PhoneGap is OK, but I class it as abandonware (and havent kept u with it). Have a look at Appcelerator if you know JS. Its more solid in every way (finsihed app, ecosystem...)

Thanks for the heads up on PhoneGap. PhoneGap sounded like a good choice but now I'll check out alternatives and look into Appcelerator.

phracktl said:
I also like LiveCode. Its feature rich, cross platform. Still, you could be finished in a week as the language is so simple: basically its hypercard, if you remember that. License might put you off though. Its free for open source & about $500 if you want to make a closed source app

A little pricey but I'll keep that in mind.

Anyone have experience with Sencha Touch?

shindig · Jul 7, 2013

Raffy said:
Anyone have experience with Sencha Touch?

Sencha touch is awesome for making html5 animations, really awesome, but not sure how you'd get the geo information. That's why I like Unity, you get access to all sensors on a device like gps, accelerometer, internal compass, even mac address of the network card, and it wraps everything in a nice native deployable app for the device. Good luck.

phracktl · Jul 7, 2013

Me again. Having looked at PhoneGap today i would say dont discount it for your needs. Apache seem to have turned it around post-Adobe.

I still wouldnt choose it, as im not keen on webkit wrapper apps. But it might fit your need well. Never worked with Sencha, as previously we have rather prototyped with PG (but went elsewhere for production - unity/Ti. Livecode for prototypes and personal apps now).

My favourite used to be Rhodes (because ruby) - but it died for me even before they sold on to Motorola.

Here's a (biased) recent article that might help you evaluate PG/Ti:

http://www.juliusbuss.de/web/youatn...-over-phonegap-and-a-competitive-solution.htm

kugundo · Jul 7, 2013

Maybe " MIT App Inventor " ( search on google) is the right thing for you.

tadow · Jul 8, 2013

1) post a job for the app on odesk
2) interview and compare prices to get the app done
3) choose a developer you feel comfortable with.

Raffy · Jul 8, 2013

shindig said:
Sencha touch is awesome for making html5 animations, really awesome, but not sure how you'd get the geo information. That's why I like Unity, you get access to all sensors on a device like gps, accelerometer, internal compass, even mac address of the network card, and it wraps everything in a nice native deployable app for the device. Good luck.

I see. Thanks for the explanation.

phracktl said:
Me again. Having looked at PhoneGap today i would say dont discount it for your needs. Apache seem to have turned it around post-Adobe.

I still wouldnt choose it, as im not keen on webkit wrapper apps. But it might fit your need well. Never worked with Sencha, as previously we have rather prototyped with PG (but went elsewhere for production - unity/Ti. Livecode for prototypes and personal apps now).

My favourite used to be Rhodes (because ruby) - but it died for me even before they sold on to Motorola.

Here's a (biased) recent article that might help you evaluate PG/Ti:

http://www.juliusbuss.de/web/youatn...-over-phonegap-and-a-competitive-solution.htm

Thanks! That article was very helpful and sold me on Titanium. I'll use Titanium for this and learn Unity some other time.

phracktl · Jul 8, 2013

Good luck with it. You'll make quick progress as you know js already.

Little advice with Ti: if you're really only targeting Android, then do concentrate on getting it right for your targets, as opposed to getting hung up on worrying about it being x-platform later.

Mostly, this relates to UI/views. Most of your android code base can be reused later for iOS etc. Think of it less as "write once, run everywhere" but more like "write once, port everywhere"

Good docs on their site. Follow the community app development that they blogged about last year (I think). Also making use of free libraries on the Ti market place might offer useful short cuts. Finally, look at Alloy for Ti if you need MVC Framework. Its overkill for most Ti projects, but more graceful for server heavy apps.

best of luck

oliverrusso · Jul 9, 2013

There is lots of ways to develop android application without any coding skills. There is some paid tools on internet from where u can buy tool and start developing apps in just few hours. I am experienced android application developer with three years of experience. PM me i can help you.

Fastest way to develop this android app?

Raffy

Regular Member

shindig

Registered Member

thejake

Power Member

wuquater

Junior Member

phracktl

Regular Member

Raffy

Regular Member

shindig

Registered Member

phracktl

Regular Member

kugundo

Regular Member

tadow

Newbie

Raffy

Regular Member

phracktl

Regular Member

oliverrusso

BANNED

Main Menu

Marketplace

Making Money

BlackHat World