Mobile development experience

Even before acquiring my iPad (today) I have been thinking more seriously about getting into developing for mobile platforms.

I have been along to a couple of presentations about Android and cross-platform development for Android and iPhone so have picked up some useful ideas.

Since I don't have a Mac I think I will have to target the Android platform first.

Hopefully the development won't involve as much trial and error as was required for the Windows Mobile development work I did for Pocket PC applications a few years ago.

Anyone remember the HP iPAQ? That's the sort of platform that we were targeting back then - along with the early generation of 3G phones that came with Windows Mobile.

The .net Compact Framework didn't really have enough ways of hooking into the capabilities of the device back then, so we had to resort to integrating third party Visual C++ DLLs to get at the text messaging and GPS capabilities for location based services.

Android phone, to buy or not to buy?

This evening I attended a meeting of the London Android group hoping to glean enough interesting information to tempt me into upgrading from my current mobile phone (see image).

So far my market research online has been interesting. Some mobile phone deals come with special offers - I don't think I need hair straighteners thanks anyway.

A "deal" that almost sucked me in turned out to be for a longer contract term, and included "optional" insurance (free for the first month, then you have to opt out or be charged).

Vodafone almost had me ordering online - but unfortunately I have only been in the UK for the last 10 months or so, so I can't give them valid UK addresses for the past 3 years!

I have been thinking for a while that a decent phone could save me money - I wouldn't have to buy guide books or maps for long weekends out of London etc., but £30 times 18, + roaming data rates could pay for a lot of guide Lonely Planet books!

I'll just have to expand the cost rationalisation out to include how much I already spend on my pay-as-you-go mobile, then see if I could connect my laptop to use the unlimited internet access on the phone - saving me what I currently pay for pay-as-you-go mobile broadband...