I’m planning to start self-learning of Android development.
What would you guys recommend as the best starter kit?
Regarding the target, is it OK to use my own smartphone for testing (besides emulators). Or should I better get a dedicated test target to avoid screwing my phone? Are there common pitfalls or issues that I should be aware of before starting to use my programs on my phone? Or is it simply impossible to upload my app directly to my phone without going through the Android Market?
I realize this question may be considered subjective. I’m looking forward to reading about your experiences though.
I started out with some ideas that I wanted to build and by watching this series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf7z_mrce00&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=SPE953C0B85B50AB62
It’s a great series that covers some basics as well as some mid-level topics. From there I would recommend building your first application and when you run into an issue you can’t figure out, Google it or search on SO.
As for testing on your own phone – It will be difficult to mess up your phone unless you do something completely out there. It’s best to use your own phone along with emulators setup with different settings such as resolutions etc.
If you’re using Eclipse to develop, you can run the app’s directly from the IDE and they will be installed on your phone. Also, you can use adb.exe that comes with the Android SDK to install .apk files directly to your phone.
In my opinion, the best way to get started with Android is to have an idea of an app you want to develop and jump in head first. When you run into an issue, search for the answer – it’s probably been done before.