3.
1 Android framework
Android is categorised as an Open source platform. It is owned by Open
Handset Alliance which is a consortium of 84 firms and also is created
Google. The aim behind the development of android is to accelerate innovation
and technology in mobile phones. The result of which it has bring in a vast
variety for mobile innovation .
Android has become one of the leading platform that is not only free but also is
an open platform. It also provides significant amount of difference which differs
software from hardware that executes on it. It marks for majority of devices that
are operating the similar application. It also provides an environment that is
much more friendly for consumers as well as the developers.
Android is a total software parcel for mobile devices. From very early on the
tool and frameworks that comprises the developer kit is offered by the android
team for making mobile applications as accessible as possible. A number of
times one does not even need particularly an android phone but can always have
an option for one. Android comes with a liberty that one may use a generalised
program or can customize it according to his/her own choice.
3.2 Android history
The actual history of Android starts when Google has had purchased and
Android inc. in 2005. But the development did not start immediately. The actual
progress on android platform starts when 2007 Open Handsets Alliance has
announced the Android as Open Source platform and year later the Android
SDK 1.0. In the same 2008 the G1 phone was produced by HTC and was
retailed within the T-Mobile carrier. In the next two years came out 4 versions
of Android. In 2010 there were at least 60 devices 7
running android and it becomes second after Blackberry the best spread mobile platform.
(Gargenta 2011, 3-6).
3.3 Development methods used
There are several methods which can support developing process of any project such as:
Waterfall
Prototyping
Incremental development
Spiral development
Rapid application development
Agile software development
Object oriented
Top-down programming
Unified process (CMS 2008 )
System testing.
But for our needs, due to limited time of this project, only two are the most suitable: rapid
application developing and like part of it prototyping and also system testing.
3.4 Rapid application development method
This method is directed by producing high quality system in most efficient time costs. Also it
allows to divide project into smaller parts and develop them separately. It’s basic idea to
produce high quality system quickly by use of interactive Prototyping. It emphasizes on
satisfaction the business requirements. It sets strict deadlines and if project slips the schedule,
the emphasis is set to reducing requirements and not on changing deadlines. The prototypes
are giving to the user for evaluation. (CMS 2008 ) 8
3.5 System testing
System testing in this thesis work will be represented by Specification-based testing. Testing
efforts to rich certain level of perfection by detecting all the faults which are in
implementation The best way to perform any testing is to select test case that satisfy certain
criteria. These criteria are depending on the nature of application and the scope. (Laycock,
1993)
3.6 Literature review
The literature review method is an examination of information on specific subject. It is
reviewing what is known and not what is assumed. It aims to create the final, precise
representation of the knowledge and research-based theory available topic. (Dawidowicz
2010, 5-17)
3.7 Cloud computing and Web services
In the past years, due to the rapid development of mobile frameworks, the need for storing
and sharing information throughout different devices has grown. All the process from
installing to running most of applications is maintained by using different web sources and
services. Insofar as there was need for such product, many companies have established cloud
and other mobile services. Companies like Amazon, Google and Parse would offer their web
services for modest payment or in some case for free. (Parse, 2013) Cloud computing is
based on the idea that large information sources can provide data to any application which
will call for it. The clients of cloud can be smartphones, tablets, and mobile Internet devices.
In the case of cloud application design we do not need any more to use storage capabilities of
device. Only what is mater are network bandwidth and display capabilities.(Sosinsky 2010, p.
431) 9
We will present one kind of web services on example of the source “Parse”. Basically it is the
same hosting service, but there are major differences which are making this kind unique and
most convenient for developers use. Parse would offer their version of Parse SDK. This is an
empty project that has needed classes to process cloud objects and push them to the web
service. On that level of integration it will be very convenient for programmer to use them.
That will help to save time cost which would take normal database integration. Of course
Parse is one of the commercial services but it has also free option which is limited by the
number of requests, pushes per month and also mobile traffic per second.
