552 CHAPTER 15: Developing for Android Wearable Devices
After you have created the EarthTime app and its EarthTime.APK using the standard MainActivity.
java Activity subclass and activity_main.xml user interface design definition, you will create
graphics design elements that are optimized for the Neptune smartwatch platform. You can develop
this app for all Android devices, thanks to Neptune Pine using the Android 4.1.2 API Level 16. You
will create the graphics at an even multiple of 240 pixels (for a square watch face), so that you will
also have 480, 960, and even 1920 versions available for release on other device types, such as iTV
Sets, tablets, eReaders, smartphones, car dashboards, game consoles and the like.
True Wearables versus Android Peripherals
In the world of Android wearables, and even in the world of Android appliances in some cases,
which we will be covering in the next chapter, there can often be a distinction that you need to be
aware of as an Android applications developer.
The manufacturers of Android wearable hardware products may have a vested interest in wanting
to “hide” this distinction, as customers are looking at form and function, not how that form and
function is being accomplished “under the hood.” This is because the cost to manufacture one of
these types of Android wearable devices will be quite high (computer miniaturization), while the cost
to manufacture the other type of Android wearable device will be much lower. Lower manufacturing
costs yield higher profit margins, especially if the purchasing public can be convinced the product is
running the Android OS, when in fact, it may not actually be doing so!
This is quite evident in Android wearables product segments, which include smartwatches and
smartglasses such as Google Glass. One of the smartwatches used in this book, the Neptune Pine,
is a True Android Device. What this means is that a True Android Device will have a CPU, memory,
an SD card, an OS, WiFi compatibility, and the like, right inside of the smartwatch itself! In this sense,
a True smartwatch device is actually like having a smartphone on your wrist, and support is offered
for telecommunications carriers, just like your smartphone currently offers.
This True Android smartwatch will be the only Android device that you need to wear. In case you are
wondering, I borrowed this “True” Android description from the True HD (HDTV) industry term. True
HD is 1920 by 1080 resolution, and is a necessary descriptive modifier, because of the fact that there
is another lower 1280 by 720p resolution in the market that is also termed HD (I call it “pseudo-HD”).
Most other smartwatches aren’t currently True Android devices, although in my discussions with
manufacturers, they are considering making this manufacturing leap in the future, probably due to
the Neptune Pine. Currently, the other smartwatch products could be described as peripherals to an
existing smartphone, phablet, e-Reader, iTV Set, game console, home media center or tablet.
The smartwatch products that use Bluetooth technology essentially become screen extensions for
another True Android device, which has the CPU (processor), memory (application runtime DDR3),
storage (an SD card), and the Internet and voice communication (WiFi and 4G cellular network
access, respectively). These device hardware resources are the ones that actually process your
smartwatch application logic, sending the results to the smartwatch screen. Android peripheral
smartwatches obviously require a different application development work processes, as well as
having a different data optimization and application testing procedure.