Uncategorized – Android Alliance

Android Studio D-Pad IDE Plugin

George M — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 09:18:51 +0000

While developing the HA TV Dashboard, I found my workflow hampered by the constant context-switching between the IDE and the Extended Controls app window. Recognising the inefficiency, I explored the JetBrains Marketplace for a solution – but came up empty. Rather than settling, I saw an opportunity to innovate. I challenged myself to build a tool that would streamline the development experience directly within Android Studio.

The result is the Android Studio D-Pad IDE Plugin – a custom-built, open-source plugin that integrates navigation controls into the IDE, eliminating the need for external app switching. You can explore the project and its source code here.

Android and the growth in the Mobile market

George M — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 14:00:41 +0000

In recent times Android has gained a firm foot hold in the mobile marketplace. More than a billion people now use the Android platform. It’s the platform of choice for more than 68% of EU5 smartphone owners, and dominates markets such as Germany and Spain with shares of 75% and 86% respectively. In fast growing economies such as India and Brazil, Android penetration is now approaching 90%.

We all probably know someone who uses a HTC, Sony or Samsung device, which all run on the Android platform. Android, is the choice for nearly all Mobile manufacturers with, most recently, Nokia, who were bought by MicroSoft to produce mobile devices that exclusively run the Windows Mobile Platform are now shipping their own devices (Nokia X series) that run a version of the platform based on the Android Open Source Project.

Alternative platforms like Jolla, which runs it’s own Sailfish OS can run Android apps, BlackBerry 10 has a Runtime for Android Apps and Amazon has also forked Android for use on their Kindle line of devices

Blog posts similar to Twitter’s Paul Stamatiou posting his observations on his blog on why the platform is more appealing to users than other platforms all reinforce the reasons why users are adopting the platform as their platform of choice.

Statistical data (various sources):

Platform share of phones sold printed by Asymco

Graph via Asymco

Top Five Smarthphone Operating Systems, Shipments and Market Share, 4Q 2013

Top Five Smarthphone Operating Systems, Shipments and Market Share, 2013

Table data via IDC

Android Developer Story: JackThreads(psst! it’s using the Edge Effect Library! )

George M — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 23:56:00 +0000

More and more companies are taking the approach of “Android First” when launching a new or updating versions of their apps. Amongst the many reasons for this includes an ability to A/B test in real time. What that does is it lets companies focus on engagement, and make sure that the changes made to the app are the right ones.

One such company is Thrillist, the creator of the JackThreads mens fashion app and saw their Android sales grow almost 2000% by using Android native design.

Thrillist felt the need to build something truly native, working with the right teams to figure out what that is supposed to look like. And to help them apply their branding and identity to the application they have tastefully applied the Edge Effect Library and we are excited to see this little library being put to such good use. Well done guys!

Watch the Android Developer Story on YouTube:

Check the app out for yourselves: