Android device for developing

I have recently started developing applications for mobile platforms. As of now, I have only been playing around with iOS but would also like to develop for Android and therefore I am going to a software development camp this summer which has its focus on Android development.

I have been offered a HTC Wildfire for a fair price and therefore I would like to hear if this phone is good for developing for Android or if there are any disadvantages or advantages? I am totally new to the Android platform and therefore I would like an advice on which devices I should look for and especia开发者_如何学Golly if the Wildfire can be used.

I hope you can help me :-)

IMO, the two main factors when choosing device(s) for development/testing are the screen density and Android OS version.

The HTC Wildfire is typically thought of as a low-end device; the resolution is only 320x240 (lower than that of the very first Android phone, G1) and the rest of the specs aren't particularly impressive either. It has an LDPI (low density) screen and is currently upgradable to Android 2.2, from 2.1. For just starting out and learning Android development, the HTC Wildfire will do just fine.

Most newer phones are HDPI (high density) and will run Android 2.1, 2.2 or 2.3. You should test with all screen densities using the emulator to make sure your application displays well on all of them. Use of the emulator reduces the need to test with multiple devices, but it is still better to use real devices if possible.

On one hand, if your app works great (performance-wise) with the Wildfire, then it will likely work great with everything else out there. Targeting the low-end means that your application will be able to potentially reach a wider audience.

On the other hand, testing with a more modern device will allow you to see how your application behaves on the current generation of devices, which may be more relevant to your interests.

Any device that runs the Android OS is capable of being a testing device. The only differences can be the actual hardware in terms of response time, storage space, etc.

If you are using it to simply test applications that you are developing, then it certainly can be a useful device.

An HTC wildfire will work as a development device. You may have to go out and find the ADB driver for it. Do keep in mind though, the more different devices you can test your applications on the more likely you are going to be to catch device specific problems and get them fixed before going live.