Begun - Amazing Android Apps For Dummies

Amazing Android Apps For Dummies

by Daniel A. Begun

Amazing Android Apps For Dummies

Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
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Copyright 2011 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2010943064

ISBN: 978-0-470-93629-0

Manufactured in the United States of America

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About the Author

Daniel A. Begun still doesnt know what he wants to be when he grows up. But until he figures it out, hell continue to have fun as a technology journalist, where he gets to play with lots of cool gadgets and apps.

In his 20 years of working in technology journalism, Daniel has written for numerous top technology publications and Web sites, including CNET, Computerworld, Computer Shopper, ExtremeTech, HotHardware.com, Laptop magazine, Maximum PC, and PC Magazine. Daniel is the former Labs Director for CNET, where he ran CNETs product testing labs for many years.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my amazing, supportive, understanding, patient wife, Caren; and to my beautiful, brilliant, funny, fiercely independent daughter, Sarah.

Authors Acknowledgments

A huge thanks goes out to Bill Dyszel, author of Outlook 2010 For Dummies, who first brought me into the Wiley fold. I also must profess a profuse thank-you to Katie Mohr at Wiley for being a tireless advocate for this project, as well as for being extraordinarily understanding when life had a habit of interfering with my deadlines.

A monumental thank-you to the entire editorial team at Wiley who helped whip this book into shape. Special thanks go to Christopher Morris for his attention to detail, Debbye Butler for her keen eye, and everybody else at Wiley who had a hand in making this book happen.

I also must thank Ashley Lane at the MWW Group for setting me up with a Samsung Epic 4G loaner which because of its gorgeous-looking screen, turned out to be the Android device I used the most often for evaluating apps and taking screenshots. Thanks also go out to Brian Bennett at Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, who loaned me the speedy HTC Incredible and rugged HTC Legend Android phones. A double thank-you goes to Len Fernandes at SierraTech Public Relations and Max Seybold at CherryPal, for letting me get a taste of Android running on a tablet with the 7-inch CherryPad America (C515).

Id be remiss if I didnt also thank Angela Schapiro and Marjorie Normand for their sage advice and counsel.

Last, but not least, thank you, reader, for buying this book. I hope you find it useful.

Publishers Acknowledgments

Were proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial Development

Sr. Project Editor: Christopher Morris

Acquisitions Editor: Katie Mohr

Copy Editor: Debbye Butler

Editorial Manager: Kevin Kirschner

Editorial Assistant: Amanda Graham

Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Sheree Montgomery

Layout and Graphics: Claudia Bell, Carl Byers, Carrie A. Cesavice, Joyce Haughey, Andrea Hornberger

Proofreaders: John Greenough, Mildred Rosenzweig

Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies

Richard Swadley , Vice President and Executive Group Publisher

Andy Cummings , Vice President and Publisher

Mary Bednarek , Executive Acquisitions Director

Mary C. Corder , Editorial Director

Publishing for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele , Vice President and Publisher

Composition Services

Debbie Stailey , Director of Composition Services

Introduction

Welcome to the very first Amazing Android Apps For Dummies book! Id like to say this book has been a long time coming, but the truth of the matter is that Android apps have been around for only a couple of years, and theyre only just now reaching the quality and quantity to justify such a book. If I had written this book even just a few months earlier, it would either have been a much thinner book, or I would have had to call it Some Amazing but Mostly Mediocre Android Apps For Dummies . Thats too long a title, and it probably wouldnt make for a very interesting read.