Android engineer Chet Hasse released Androids: The Team that Built the Android Operating System earlier this month. It begins with the history of the Android team, before and after Google bought it in 2005. Then it moves on to the launch of Android 1.0. This is a fascinating tale that will interest both programmers and hardcore engineers. In this Medium post, Haase provides more information about the book. Interviews with engineers are the best way to get into the details of how Android came about. The bulk of the book is devoted to the intricacies of Android's creation. Every feature that you assume is built into an Android phone, from the launcher to its design to the most popular Google applications, was usually handled by one or two people. They worked seven days a week, completing each task in a short time span. VPN Deals: A lifetime license costs $16, with monthly plans starting at $1. You will be shocked at how disconnected Android's start-up culture and team was from Google, at least until Android became a global success. The book also gives you an in-depth view of the ideas and plans behind phones such as the Nexus One, Motorola Droid and HTC G1. We are excited to share our opinions on this book with the AC team. Our perspectives and insight into early Android differ. We highly recommend that you purchase Haase’s book and get to know the details. We don't want any of the juicy tidbits to be divulged. We couldn't resist sharing our collective thoughts about Androids and why we think it's worthwhile.
Android: Behind the Scenes: The Team that Built the Android Operating System. This book is an essential read for Android fans. It contains Chet Haase’s self-published history and origins of the early Android operating system. Haase spoke with nearly everyone from Android over that time period and shared their opinions on what went well and what went wrong. He was able to get Apple's opinion on Android at that time. Amazon: $10
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Haase, the narrator of Android's history Jerry Hildenbrand Senior Editor
Source: Chet HaaseAuthor Chet Haase
Chet Haase loves to nerd. He is very personable, approachable and funny. This is why he makes a great presenter for Google. He's also a huge old nerd and writes some of the things that make Android so popular. This book is also perfect for him. Haase is a great presenter, and he's also an excellent writer. Androids is not a boring book about phone software. Haase's accessible book is well-written and provides enough information to satisfy Android nerds but also enough context to help casual readers. Like Haase's Androids book it is approachable. It is approachable. Many AC readers and writers have been fascinated by Android and Google for long enough to be able to watch the events unfold in real-time. We are familiar with the things Google has said to us, as well as the leaks and things that remain on the roadmap twelve years later. It'll be a treasure trove of new information for all readers. This book is great for those who are a superfan of Android, but it also works well for casual users. This book is for Android users who are interested in the past. It's not a tech journal for geeks. Androids: The Team that Built the Android Operating System can be a book almost everyone can relate to, just like its author. Michael Hicks Senior Editor, Android Story (not Google Story).
Source: Android Central
The fascinating history of Android by Haase shows how much the industry has changed. Phone specs were tailored to the needs of carriers, Blackberries ruled the Earth, no one believed that Android would ever be more than "vaporware" in comparison to the new iPhone. It will be informative for those less experienced (like myself) and nostalgic to veterans like Jerry. While so much has changed, Google's relationship to Android shows how little has. Google was able to grab Android when the start-up was trying to pitch its OS to companies. It also gave the team the resources it needed to hire the right people. Haase said that most of the Google team didn't believe Android would be anything. Because the developers of Maps and Gmail didn't want their involvement, Android engineers had to create apps by themselves. What was the secret to Android's success? This true story is not overstated. However, suffice it to say that Android's innovative coding can only take you so far. Android was able to compete with iOS because of the marketing efforts made by other companies that supported its open-source success.
Source: Phil Nickinson / Android Central
It was also interesting to see which phones Android engineers put the most effort into, and which phones were less popular that ultimately paved the way for Android's future. What was the likelihood that Android would have been "killed" by Google? You might not believe the odds. Although Haase did not make this connection, his book made me reflect on the death of Stadia Games and all other "Killed by Google” projects. Although Google allowed its Android team to create an incredible operating system, the company didn't contribute any additional resources or support until Android was successful on its own. Android became more integral to Google only then. Android's success was not inevitable. Haase's book contains a lot of stress-provoking anecdotes, including about accidentally bricking phones and servers being burned. It also includes the typical workplace crunch that you would see at a videogame company. Anyone with an Android phone will be grateful to read about the behind-the scenes stories of Android and how Android engineers believe luck and timing played a role in its success. Jeramy Johnson, Editor. An inspiring and unlikely success story
Source: Alex Dobie / Android Central
I was struck by how interconnected the initial team that built Android and brought it alive was. It was fascinating to see how many of the key players moved from one job to another, from employer to employer. They were keen to continue working together. To give context, the majority of Android's team were recruited from outside Google (which at that time was focused on search engine advertising and web content). Android was a secret so nobody interested in phone technology could apply for a job at Google. Despite their small size, the determined team reached out to former colleagues from other failed phones-related projects, including BeOS, PalmSource and Microsoft. They succeeded this time. Android was developed at lightning speed with engineers working from their desks. It's incredible to read about all of it. It makes sense on one level. It is easier to work alongside people you are familiar with. However, it is also easy to understand because these same people knew the best ways to accomplish the tasks. It seemed that they were able to get along or respected each others' talents and abilities for the most part. If I look back, it seems like this is how Android Central and our sister websites work and get along. It was great to see a parallel between our team with the original Android team. The "by the seatof their pants" nature of Android's origin story is another thing that fascinates me. It was built at lightning speed, on the fly, with constant iterations. It was almost as though they were building the ship at sea (sorry for my bad metaphors), which I find quite wild. Although it all turned out well, there were no guarantees. Although I don't have a lot of knowledge about product development or software, I know that these phenomena are common in these fields. It was fascinating to read about the process and gain a greater appreciation for Android's operating system. Michael Hicks is the elephant in this room
Source: Android CentralAndy Rubin’s Essential phone
Before I started the book, my colleagues told me that Andy Rubin was a co-founder of Android. Andy, as he is referred to in this book, was a co-founder of Android. He often comes up as a decision-maker. He made the call when the team couldn’t decide between Java and C++. He would push for crucial, last-minute features in every new Android version. He built an actual robot within the Android office in just one chapter. It was pretty benign stuff. It's not clear from the book that Larry Page, former Google CEO, forced Rubin to resign in 2014. This was after Google discovered credible sexual misconduct allegations against Rubin. He allegedly coerced an Android employee into giving him oral sex. Later, there were new allegations that Rubin ran a sex ring. He still received a $90million golden parachute. This led to employees at Google walking out after it was revealed that he had a sex ring. Andy Rubin is less Android's father than he is its executive figurehead. He demands results from an incredibly talented team. Although I don't believe Haase was wrong in avoiding the topic or focusing too much on the "father of Android", it is not a fault. His infamous, alleged actions are the most prominent timeline in the book, which doesn't account for Android 1.0's success. The book portrays him as a figurehead who demands results, but does not contribute any particular feature to Android. Other team members such as Brian Swetland and Dianne Hackborn, Hiroshi lockheimer, Ficus Kirkpatrick and Ficus Kirpatrick deserve a lot more credit for Android's success and coding. Although Rubin's presence was a significant influence on some of the chapters that were focused on Android's creation, I will not deny it. Androids is a team of underdogs who are fighting against all odds to succeed. This makes it easy to root for them. It is difficult to root for Rubin. This isn't enough, however, to ruin an otherwise excellent book. What do you think about Androids?
Source: Andrew Myrick/ Android Central
We'd love to know what you think of Androids: The Team that Built the Android Operating System once you have it in your hands. Which was your favorite story about its creation? Was it too technical? Or not enough technical enough for you? For those Android veterans, which Android phone was the first to convince you to give it a shot? We'd love to hear your comments!
