1. Android: Live Wallpapers
Thursday, 18 February 2010

2. What are live wallpapers?
 “Richer, animated, interactive backgrounds”
 Provides another means for the user to interact with
your app on their desktop
 Similar to regular Android service, so the application
becomes the desktop!
Thursday, 18 February 2010

3. What do I need?
 Android SDK > 2.1
 Eclipse
 ADT for Eclipse
Thursday, 18 February 2010

4. Android API Levels
 http://developer.android.com/guide/appendix/
api-levels.html
Thursday, 18 February 2010

5. Setting up the Android manifest
 Service permission of
android.permission.BIND_WALLPAPER
 API Level 7 for > 2.1
<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="7" />
 Use feature tag
<uses-feature
android:name="android.software.live_wallpaper" />
Thursday, 18 February 2010

6. Example Android manifest
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7. Wallpaper Service
 Abstract class, implement and override
onCreateEngine()
 http://developer.android.com/reference/android/
service/wallpaper/WallpaperService.html
Thursday, 18 February 2010

8. Life Cycle
 onCreate()
 onDestroy()
 onVisibility()
 onOffsetsChanged()
 onSurface...() created, changed, destroyed
 onTouchEvent()
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9. Gotchas
 Battery life!
 CPU even 1ghz is not infinite
 onVisibility(), when the wallpaper becomes invisible
shut everything down
 Multi touch?
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10. Other options
 Widgets
 Apps
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11. Demo
Thursday, 18 February 2010