Get started with AIR on Android before you get an Android device!
Recently, Adobe announced the public beta of AIR on Android. This excitement combined with all of the energy from the recent Google IO conference has a lot of developers wanting to dig right in! If you don’t have access to an Android device today, don’t let that stop you from having some fun. The Android SDK includes an emulator! Yes, you can install the SDK, run the emulator, install the AIR runtime from the AIR for Android pre-release site and then install your apk files and test your application.
WARNING: The emulator is SLOW. Not just frustratingly slow… it’s painfully slow… so don’t judge the performance of AIR or Android based on the emulator. When you’re ready to see good performance, go get a real Android device. 
Getting started:
- Download and install the Android SDK from http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html
- Sign up for the Adobe AIR for Android prerelease program at http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/air2/android
- Learn how to get the emulator running at http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/tools/emulator.html
- Read the docs from the AIR for Android prerelease site (once you are granted access – very fast)
- Go write some Flex or Flash apps and feel the rush of building apps for mobile!
RUN ON MY DEVICE: If you live in the Tampa bay area and you build a cool AIR app for Android and want to see it on a real device, contact me and I’ll meet you and we’ll try it out on my Google Nexus One. If it’s cool, I’ll buy lunch. If not, you buy.
Christophe Coenraets recently blogged Employee Directory app built with Flex on AIR for Android:
I am unable to install AIR on my emulator
I was missing something. its working fine now:) THanks
Very Nice article.
i got great help from that article.
Keep it up.
I have a Samsung Vibrant which is Android 2.1. Can I develop in flex/flash for this ? There doesnt seem to be a runtime for it.
Thanks,
John
Hey John – if you go to the 6/4/2010 build on the pre-release site, you’ll find an eclair (2.1) AIR runtime that you can use. However, it’s a bit out of date and missing some recent features…but the major stuff is there.
The entire galaxy-S line should be getting Froyo soon…it’s definitely capable of running Froyo — it’s a fantastic phone. I suspect it will get it within the next few months.
Thanks!
Greg
BTW, I am in the New Tampa area.
I’ve just downloaded Flash Builder 4 trial and AIR SDK 2.5. I don’t see an option to build an Android AIR project in FB. My only options are Browser or Desktop. When I import on of the many samples, the tag cannot be resolved. Help!
You’ll need the preview release of Flash Builder 4.5 (code name Burrito) to build mobile apps. You can find it at http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashbuilder_burrito/
You can install it separately from your existing Flash Builder 4 install. In other words, you can have both installed.
Also, I HIGHLY recommend Adobe AIR Launchpad to help you get started http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/airlaunchpad/
Greg
The phone overall was very nice. Didn’t weight much and the touch screen was responsive. The Android OS ran well. I liked it overall. It being unlocked and cheap along with the Android OS made it a good buy I thought at the time. The problem I had was that while the features were nice I could not get the phone to update via the official tools. Others had this problem all over the world with this particular phone. Some had to wait for their cell providers to push out the update but those that bought it unlocked from various places had issues at the time. The choice I was left with at the time was to install the update myself. A process if done wrong could turn the phone into a paperweight. With no US warranty I didn’t feel safe in doing so. So in the end I returned it and thankfully because the device was fulfilled by Amazon.com I was able to get my money back. If I had the chance to buy the phone again but with the update already installed I would as I am a fan of the Android OS and did like the phone overall. However I would warn people that if they do want to update and don’t feel like taking certain risk to perhaps look for a different phone or one with a US warranty.
i just bought a samsung galay fit.
i want to install flash player on my mobile.i downloaded the Flash.Player.10.3.185.22.Android. but it could not be installed.
My main purpose is to watch flv videos on my mobile.
plz help.
thank you.
hi ım downloading EmployeeDirectory.apk for 2.1 and 2.2 its working fine. also ım importing fxp file into burrito and export it air 2.5 again, but this time it isnt working on the phone and on the pda too. could u help me please. ı have try flex 4 sdk with air 2.5 and have try flex 4.5 sdk too