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Frank Ableson Archive

Frank Ableson is an entrepreneur, writer and mobile software developer who probably should have been a hardware designer, but soldering got in the way. Frank's technical interests are in mobile and embedded computing. Frank is the lead author of Unlocking Android 2e, an intermediate text on software development for the Android platform. Use coupon code linuxmag for a 30% discount.
Putting Text to Speech to Work
Raise your (phone's) voice as we build out our Text To Speech app for Android.
Look Who’s Talking: Android Edition
Adding speech to Android apps isn't nearly as difficult as you would think. "Text to Speech" is a snap with the android.speech.tts package.
Upgrading Android: A Guided Tour
Android moves pretty fast. It's important to know when, how and what to expect when you upgrade your device. Let's step through a recent upgrade from Froyo to Gingerbread on a Nexus One.
Browsing the Android Market from the Desktop
Finding applications just got a lot easier thanks to the enhanced Android Market by Google.
Android Market Gets a Facelift
The Android Market gets a much-needed updated and makes some important strides forward in how apps are distributed.
BlackBerry Apps That Won’t Die
While BlackBerry may not be getting all the press these days, it's possible that BB will be around and "running forever." Building on that theme, we take a look at techniques for launching BlackBerry applications that need to run continually.
Wrapping up JQuery Mobile, Part 4
We finish up our investigation into jQuery Mobile with a look at one of the most important elements of mobile app design: event handling.
JQuery Mobile, Part 3: Attack of the Forms
Need to capture some data from you users? jQuery Mobile forms differ from traditional forms in a couple of ways but can save you some headaches when building your app.
JQuery Mobile Preview, Part 2
We whip up a small sample app to see just how much heavy-lifting jQuery takes off a mobile developer's hands.
Checking out JQuery Mobile, Part 1
JQuery is going mobile
Catching up with the Gingerbread Man
Android 2.3 SDK has arrived
Avoiding Inappropriate Contact via the iPhone
The TSA gets into the Mobile App Game.
Exploring the ListField, Part 2
Subclassing for fun and function.
Exploring the ListField, Part 1
Display data with the BlackBerry ListField
Color in Your Cheeks: Brighten Up BlackBerry Apps
Subclassing built-in classes can add color to otherwise blah BlackBerry apps.
The Mobile Plot Thickens: The BlackBerry Tablet
Android Patently Challenged, Blackberry steps to the table(t)
From Zero to Mobile Inventor in 10 Minutes
App Inventor, beta (imagine that!) software from Google that provides near-WYSIWYG Android app development.
Toronto, Another Town in the Mobile Game?
Mobile innovation is heating up the North.
Taking the App to Market, Part 2
Publishing an application to the Android Market
This Little App Went to Market, Part 1
Preparing an application for the Android Market
Monitoring Android Events
Use dynamically registered BroadcastReceivers to create intelligent GUIS for Android
Wiring Up Android Buttons
Three ways to configure click handlers in Android UI Code
Launching Android Apps
Leveraging built-in Android Apps to make your app better
Complementary and Collaborative Apps
A new way to think about mobile applications.
Android Phone-Top Programming, Part 2
Creating a simple application debug tool out of an App Widget
iPhone: Two Hands or None?
Will the antenna problem with the iPhone 4 derail Apple or is it just a speed-bump
Android Phone-Top Programming: Part 1
Building on what we already know about Android development, we take a look at adding App Widget functionality for your phone's "desktop."
Showing Progress with Android
Passing data with Handlers, Messages and the ProgressDialog
Android and iPhone, and Then Everyone Else
iPhone is becoming the standard-bearer, but Android is more versatile
Localizing Android Applications
Business as Mission requires localization.
Here Comes Froyo!
Android continues its march towards the top of the smartphone market.
Google I/O: What to Expect, What to Hope For
The 5 things I hope Google unveils in Android 2.2.
Global Variables in Android Apps
Using the Application object to cure a case of the Android flip flops
Could Android run on the iPad?
Will the best Android tablet actually be a jail-broken iPad?
Say Cheese: Building a Photo App for Your Android Device
Learn how to snap a picture and display it in your application
Comparing Apples and Androids
Apple ups the ante against Android with iPhone OS version 4 -- but first they have to answer to the 3.3.1 worm.
Apple iGroups: Smart Networking or Dead on Arrival?
Apple takes a turn in the social network scene
Lights, Camera, Android: Is Google TV Getting Ready for a Close Up?
Rumors of a Google TV appliance continues to blur the lines of platform and market -- and perhaps brings App developers yet another opportunity to sell their 'wares
To XML and Back: Using JSON in Android
JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) is competing with XML as the data encoding format of choice.
Titanium 1.0: The “App for Building Apps”?
Appcelerator ups the ante for mobile developers
Custom Controls for the iPhone
Building a scrollable, dynamic user interface for iPhone.
Dumping WYSIWYG: Building Android User Interfaces at Run Time
A look at an alternative means of constructing user interface elements for Android developers
Writing “C” Code for Android
The Android SDK is strictly for Java Programmers -- however, the Native Development Kit cracks the door to let some "C" inside
Love it or Hate it, Here Comes the iPad
Is it just an iPod on steroids or does the iPad from Apple represent the future of mobile computing? Perhaps a bit of both.
EventLogger: printf for BlackBerry
Using the EventLogger feature of the BlackBerry to record important events
Android’s Next Challenge? iTunes
Android has been updated again, but the list of phones waiting for an upgrade continues to grow. There is one lesson Apple can teach Android
Automating Android with Ant
Eclipse is not the only game in town when it comes to compiling Android applications.
A Virtual Solution for Mobile Development
Who needs a Dell when you can have a VirtualBox?
The Next Level of Convergence?
Wouldn't it be cool if I could plug a keyboard and monitor into my phone....
One Android to Rule Them All?
Android is maturing, both for developers and consumers. Will it dominate the mobile market? 2010 may bring the answer.
Hybrid iPhone Applications
Increase your speed to market by building a hybrid application for iPhone
Under the Hood of Native Web Apps for Android
Web Development for Mobile Devices is the latest rage. But what if you want an "off-line" web application? No problem!
Mobile Web Applications
The mobile web is maturing -- but be careful to not stuff your application chock-full of "features."
Customizing BlackBerry Applications
It doesn't get too much press these days, but the BlackBerry platform still holds appeal for enterprise applications.
Android: A Better iPhone?
iPhone has created the market, but Android has the potential to own it.
Android is Sprint-ing ahead
Sprint hosts major mobile players at Open Developer's Conference in Santa Clara
HTML5 Database; Better than Sliced Bread?
Learn how to use the HTML5 database for storing client-side data. Client side storage is enabling the next generation of mobile applications.
Widget Wonderland for WebOS
Make your WebOS application look like the built-in applications with Widgets
Are App Stores Evil?
The only thing changing faster than mobile devices is the business model for distributing your applications
Using Lists in webOS – Mastering the Oldest Mobile Profession
The List widget is central to webOS applications -- master the List widget and you're well on your way to creating great webOS applications
Google Issues Cease & Desist to Open Source Android Developer
Google recently cracked down on popular Android MODer Cyanogen. Does this mark the beginning of the end for Android or just a speed-bump on the way to market dominance?
Time to Taste the Android Donut
With the release of Android 1.6 a.k.a. "Donut", Android continues its path towards main-stream mobile acceptance
Homebrew webOS Documentation
Where to go when the docs don't help, or if you're just plain curious about what is brewing in Mojo.
Hacking the webOS
Let's roll up our sleeves and dig around inside webOS to find out just what's available to the developer looking to make modifications on a rooted device.
Hands-on: Multiple Activities and Data Persistence in Android
Building on our Android-based TicketResponder applicatoin, we add a new screen and data persistence.
Hands-on: Debugging an Android Application
Roll up your sleeves, start up the Android Emulator and debug your application line by line.
Building a Ticket Responder for Android, Part 2
Dig into the code as we continue down the path of creating a real-world Android application
Hands-on with Android: Building a Ticket Responder, Part 1
This is the first in a multi-part series of articles on building real-world mobile applications with Android.
The CEO, the Android-Maker, and Augmented Reality. Oh my!
The first InsideMobile conference brought together about 100 developers, product managers, entrepreneurs and even some hobbyists to discuss the future of mobile.
Palm webOS: The Other Linux Phone Platform
Palm's new webOS and its accompanying toolchain provide a strong testimony to the role Linux can play in the mobile arena.
Best Practices for Troubleshooting Mobile Software
During software projects, you often have to eat some bugs. Just try not to chew on them.
Open Source iPhone Dev: XML to the Rescue?
Can a project originating from San Francisco State University bridge the digital divide and bring true open source development to the iPhone platform? It looks promising, but the climb is steep and the gap is wide.
An Open Source Recipe for the iPhone
The platform that has defined "cool" for years has not had a reputation for being an open platform, but that hasn't discouraged a number of open source projects for iPhone/iPod Touch.
Is Palm a Player or Just a Pre-Tender?
Once the leader and innovator in all things mobile, in recent years Palm has barely kept up with the pack, let alone acted as a leader. With the introduction of the Palm Pre it appears that open source technology is helping bring Palm back from the edge of irrelevancy.
Writing an Android Twitter Client with Python
Get up and running with the Android Scripting Environment. Whip up a Twitter update app in a matter of minutes and tell everyone what sandwich you're eating from within Android!
Is Android The Perfect Mobile Software Platform?
Is Android an iPhone killer or is it just another failed attempt at taking Linux mainstream on a mobile phone?