What's the best, most cost-effective Android device to get for development?
40 replies, posted
Hi all,
I'm making an iOS/Playbook app, and I would like to deploy it to Android, too. Unfortunately, I don't have any Android device to test with, which makes the development process very hard.
What's the best, most-cost effective Android device I can get in the US? I'm looking for something in the $200 range. For example, the Kindle Fire looks quite good. However, from what I know, you can't run the Android Market on it, and I'm looking to test in-app purchases through the Android Market, so perhaps the Kindle Fire isn't a good idea. Any other devices I should look at?
Also, what's the most recent Android version? Is it Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0? Is ICS backwards compatible with the other versions? Is this the version I want to have?
Can I somehow install ICS on the Kindle Fire and get access to the Android Market (actually I think it's called Google Play now)?
My requirements of the device are:
- Accelerometer
- Wifi
- Multitouch
Stuff I don't need:
- Camera
- Microphone
- Speakers (but this would be useful)
Stuff I don't want:
- Any phone plan or anything like that (I just want an Android device to test my apps on)
Could you guys please point me in the right direction? :)
If you can find a used nexus s somewhere get it
Its the google experience device, gets updates first and is a stock as it gets
It looks like it's $400+ without a contract. I said I'd like to target $200
What about the Nexus One?
$300, way too much
I guess I'm going to go with the Kindle Fire.. any other suggestions?
What about second hand Nexus S? Also look at the Samsung WiFi range, they have things like the Galaxy S but without the phone capability so that should be a fair bit cheaper. But the Nexus S is the best possible devices tbh for this,.
I got my second-hand Nexus S for $250, used for only a month, no scratches.
Go for a second hand nexus s
I already ordered a Kindle Fire. $250 for a used device is far too expensive
[QUOTE=Inplabth;35613242]That's not a good dev device. It doesn't use a stock version of android.[/QUOTE]
Excellent price, strong hardware, and I can run my app on it. Testing the Android Market is a whole different story but quite frankly I'd rather use a workaround for that instead of shelling out $250+ for some used phone.
[QUOTE=icantread49;35613917]Excellent price, strong hardware, and I can run my app on it. Testing the Android Market is a whole different story but quite frankly I'd rather use a workaround for that instead of shelling out $250+ for some used phone.[/QUOTE]
Non standart hardware and UI may be a drawback though
[QUOTE=superstepa;35613960]Non standart hardware and UI may be a drawback though[/QUOTE]
Just out of curiosity, why do you say the hardware is non-standard?
As for the UI, yes, it'll be a small drawback. Well worth the money, though, IMO.
[QUOTE=icantread49;35615611]Just out of curiosity, why do you say the hardware is non-standard?
As for the UI, yes, it'll be a small drawback. Well worth the money, though, IMO.[/QUOTE]
what's the point of making a thread, asking for advice, ignoring all of it and then doing what you were originally going to do anyway.
[QUOTE=BrainDeath;35617688]what's the point of making a thread, asking for advice, ignoring all of it and then doing what you were originally going to do anyway.[/QUOTE]
I clearly stated I'm looking for something in the $200 range. Then I narrowed my original intent down to exclude used items for $250+
your request was stupid in the first place
"i want a new android device with multi-touch that is good for development, all for under $200!!"
"$250 for a used device? thats crazy talk, i'll just buy an e-reader that is almost as far from vanilla android as you can get!"
I don't know where you are looking but on ebay you can get a Nexus One for $212.
[QUOTE=Kopimi;35617960]your request was stupid in the first place
"i want a new android device with multi-touch that is good for development, all for under $200!!"
"$250 for a used device? thats crazy talk, [b]i'll just buy an e-reader that is almost as far from vanilla android as you can get[/b]!"[/QUOTE]
I don't understand what you're trying to say here - yes, it's not vanilla Android, but so what? It fulfills all of my requirements other than the Google Play/Android Market thing, which I've decided isn't as much of an issue for me anymore. The hardware is good, it's still Android (and will run my Android apps for testing), and it comes new for $200.
The reason I made this thread was for all of you Android gurus to help me out in case I've missed other $200 device, or something comparable. Quite frankly, a $200+ used phone just doesn't sound good at all - maybe for $50-$100, but definitely not $200+. For example, I bought my iOS testing device - an iPod Touch 2G that runs all of my apps - for $60. I got my Playbook testing device for free. So why I would spend $200+ on a used Android device is beyond me.
[editline]18th April 2012[/editline]
I mean, come on, Android fanboys are always complaining about iOS devices being so ridiculously expensive, yet a developer can't even get his hands on a proper Android device to develop with for under $200.
Android doesn't do itouch style devices, it's mostly tablets and phones.
kindle fire probably isn't what you would want, but it's too late now
[QUOTE=icantread49;35622104]I don't understand what you're trying to say here - yes, it's not vanilla Android, but so what? It fulfills all of my requirements other than the Google Play/Android Market thing, which I've decided isn't as much of an issue for me anymore. The hardware is good, it's still Android (and will run my Android apps for testing), and it comes new for $200.[/QUOTE]
The problem you're going to run into here is that test results are kinda likely to be skewed because it's not vanilla Android, it's an edited version. You're going to run into problems that you don't need to run into.
[quote]Quite frankly, a $200+ used phone just doesn't sound good at all - maybe for $50-$100, but definitely not $200+.[/quote]
You. Are. Delusional. Good developing environments don't come cheap, especially a good used Android phone for 100 bucks, you're not very likely to find a good one at that price.
[quote]For example, I bought my iOS testing device - an iPod Touch 2G that runs all of my apps - for $60. I got my Playbook testing device for free. So why I would spend $200+ on a used Android device is beyond me.[/quote]
Yes, you got a 2G touch for 60 bucks. Let alone the fact that it's now pretty fucking ancient, runs outdated software and generally shouldn't be your only testing device, you did well.
[quote]I mean, come on, Android fanboys are always complaining about iOS devices being so ridiculously expensive, yet a developer can't even get his hands on a proper Android device to develop with for under $200.[/quote]
You can, you just need to use your brain and look around.
[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;35622755]The problem you're going to run into here is that test results are kinda likely to be skewed because it's not vanilla Android, it's an edited version. You're going to run into problems that you don't need to run into.
[/quote]
That doesn't make any sense. The Kindle Fire runs apps out of the Amazon App Store, which is an Android app store for all Android devices. There's absolutely no reason the Kindle Fire would skew the results.
[quote]
You. Are. Delusional. Good developing environments don't come cheap, especially a good used Android phone for 100 bucks, you're not very likely to find a good one at that price.
Yes, you got a 2G touch for 60 bucks. Let alone the fact that it's now pretty fucking ancient, runs outdated software and generally shouldn't be your only testing device, you did well.
[/quote]
It's my lowest denominator and it works great. I also test with an iPhone 4S and an iPad 2, among other devices, but if it runs on the iPod Touch 2G - it's guaranteed to run on the newer iOS devices.
In terms of current development, you are using outdated/improper hardware. The Kindle Fire is not "bad" but it's not the right device for ANY development. We have recommended some devices over $200 but in general for $200, used or not, you are not going to get a device that is good enough for any Android development.
Sony has this developers program where you can try out one of the Xperia series devices for free for 30 days. It's probably going to be not enough but you can retry them.
[QUOTE=garychencool;35625564]In terms of current development, you are using outdated/improper hardware. The Kindle Fire is not "bad" but it's not the right device for ANY development. We have recommended some devices over $200 but in general for $200, used or not, you are not going to get a device that is good enough for any Android development.[/QUOTE]
I got rid of the Kindle Fire's stock ROM and installed CM7 (Gingerbread) and it works like a charm. I'm going to install CM9 (ICS) when it's more stable. I'm already testing my app and it works great. Now that I have a "vanilla" version of Android, I can test both the Google Play store and the Amazon App Store.
What more could I ask for with $200? You guys are making statements but I see no truth to them.
[QUOTE=icantread49;35642424]I got rid of the Kindle Fire's stock ROM and installed CM7 (Gingerbread) and it works like a charm. I'm going to install CM9 (ICS) when it's more stable. I'm already testing my app and it works great. Now that I have a "vanilla" version of Android, I can test both the Google Play store and the Amazon App Store.
What more could I ask for with $200? You guys are making statements but I see no truth to them.[/QUOTE]
Well aren't you living up to your username.
Continue to deny the painfully obvious, and you wont get anymore help.
[QUOTE=Inplabth;35642522]
A good testing platform would run the latest version of android by default[/QUOTE]
That's not true at all. The best testing platform is a common denominator. Just because something works on Android 4 doesn't mean it works on Android 2 - but if it works on Android 2, then you can be pretty damn sure it'll work on Android 4.
Same reason my primary iOS testing device is an iPod Touch 2G. If my app runs on that, I'm guaranteed it'll run on anything newer - and it always does, when I test with an iPhone 4S or an iPad 2, for example.
It's the same idea as PC development - unless you're explicitly targeting the very high-end market, you *DO NOT* want to be using the latest and greatest technology.
[editline]20th April 2012[/editline]
You guys are making the argument that "because it doesn't run the latest Android by default, it's a bad development platform" - and my objective rebuttal is: if my app works perfectly on a Kindle Fire running Amazon's version of Android as well as running vanilla Gingerbread (CM7), then I can be pretty sure it'll run properly on any more "standard" device.
[QUOTE=icantread49;35648520]That's not true at all. The best testing platform is a common denominator. Just because something works on Android 4 doesn't mean it works on Android 2 - but if it works on Android 2, then you can be pretty damn sure it'll work on Android 4.
Same reason my primary iOS testing device is an iPod Touch 2G. If my app runs on that, I'm guaranteed it'll run on anything newer - and it always does, when I test with an iPhone 4S or an iPad 2, for example.
It's the same idea as PC development - unless you're explicitly targeting the very high-end market, you *DO NOT* want to be using the latest and greatest technology.
[editline]20th April 2012[/editline]
You guys are making the argument that "because it doesn't run the latest Android by default, it's a bad development platform" - and my objective rebuttal is: if my app works perfectly on a Kindle Fire running Amazon's version of Android as well as running vanilla Gingerbread (CM7), then I can be pretty sure it'll run properly on any more "standard" device.[/QUOTE]
You may run into compatibility issues when using, let's say a Nexus S. Just because it works flawlessly on your modded kindle fire, it doesn't mean the same will happen on every other device.
Sure. But that goes for every device. If you test with a Nexus S, it might not work on something else.
[editline]20th April 2012[/editline]
That's when wide-spread testing comes in. But for the actual development of the app, AKA the "change, build, run, test, change, build, run, test" cycle, it's perfect!
[QUOTE=icantread49;35650450]Sure. But that goes for every device. If you test with a Nexus S, it might not work on something else.[/QUOTE]
Considering the Nexus S runs a completely stock Android installation, it's pretty much guaranteed to give you the same result as you'd get on many other devices.
Unless someone tries to install the app on a device with a bastardized Android version (Kindle Fire, Heyoo)
[QUOTE=Van-man;35651815]Considering the Nexus S runs a completely stock Android installation, it's pretty much guaranteed to give you the same result as you'd get on many other devices.[/QUOTE]
Not at all. Different hardware configurations.
You're saying that as long as you develop on a stock Windows 7 machine, then it's pretty much guaranteed to give you the same result as you'd get on any machine running stock Windows 7. Which is a bunch of bullshit.
[QUOTE=Inplabth;35652042]Windows != Android
Android runs on (mostly) standardized hardware for tablets and phones. Notable exceptions include eReaders. Seriously though, if you're only here to argue over something you wanted our opinion on in the first place, get out.[/QUOTE]
I have no idea what you're talking about. Go look at the hardware specs of the top 10 Android phones/tablets and you'll see a wide variety of hardware.
[QUOTE=Van-man;35644799]Well aren't you living up to your username.
Continue to deny the painfully obvious, and you wont get anymore help.[/QUOTE]
null is notorious around the programming forum for asking for advice and then getting indignant and ignoring people who help him out
there's literally no reason to help him
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