73310 - Telecommunications Software Lab T-A

Learning outcomes

Note: This course is taken from the First-cycle Degree in Ingegneria Elettronica e Telecomunicazioni, taught in Italian.

Course contents

The aim of the course is to learn the methodologies underlying the development of software applications for mobile devices.

Given its diffusion and versatility of use, the Android operating system has been chosen as the use case for the implementation of mobile applications.

The course is entirely carried out in the laboratory where the lessons are alternated between frontal lectures, in which the teacher will introduce the main concepts of the Android system, and practical sessions carried out by the students.

At the end of the course the student has the ability to implement simple Android apps knowing the fundamental bases of their design.

The 12 lessons lasting 2.5-hours are organized as follows:

1. Introduction to Android and Mobile Apps: Mobile Apps Motivations; The Android Operating System; Main features of Android
2. The development environment: Android Studio; Installation; Hello World App. The Android Developer site. The examples on Android Developer.
3. Introduction to Java for Android: Introduction to Object Programming; The main features of Java; Java as a programming language for Android Apps
   The User Interface: View and Layout; Tutorial on creating the User Interface
4. Resources in Android: Static resources; Use of resources at run time; Resources tutorial.
5. Multi-screen Apps: The Activity and the navigation flow; The Intent Explicit. Tutorial on creating a multiscreen app
6. Multi-screen Apps: Implicit implications. Tutorial on creating an app that uses Android system services
7. Persistence management: Saving preferences; Tutorial on saving preferences.
8. Persistence management: Data saving. Data storage tutorial.
9. Networking: Internet access management. Downloading an image.
10. The sensors: Management of direct sensors; The indirect sensors. Exercise on sensor management.
11. Course conclusion: Project progress status; Android Things; Google APIs for Android.

Readings/Bibliography

Suggested readings:

• M. Carli, “Android 6 – Guida per lo Sviluppatore”, Apogeo, 2016

• Michael Burton, "Android App Development For Dummies", 3rd Edition, Wiley, 2016

Reference guide

• http://developer.android.com

Teaching methods

Lectures and Lab hands-on sessions for developing Android based apps under the teacher guidance.

An English speaking class-tutor will be available for non-Italian speaking students (e.g., Erasmus students, International students) for helping them in understanding the content of the lessons.

Assessment methods

The assessment of the teaching activity will be performed through a student presentation of a working app

There are two possible methods:

• Development of and Android app previously agreed with the teacher (proposed by the students or suggested by the teacher), even in a group of students, to be presented to the teacher. The student is eligible if during the presentation is able to illustrate the functionalities of the app. The students interested in this method are requested to compose the groups in the first weeks of the course.
• Development of one of the example apps illustrated during the course in 2 hours in Lab 1

Teaching tools

PC available for the students in the lab. It is suggested to have a laptop for individual development.

Office hours

See the website of Daniele Tarchi