New Android SDK released

After the rumors about the HTC Dream which should be on the market earlier than expected after the supposed delays, Google has released a Beta of the new Android SDK.

The SDK can be downloaded at http://code.google.com/android/download_list.html and for information about upgrading from the previous version you can visit http://code.google.com/android/intro/upgrading.html .

Google wants to move quickly towards the release of the SDK 1.0.

The important changes in this new BETA release are:

• First and most obviously, the new Home screen is included, along with a ton of UI changes for 1.0.


• Some new applications are included: an Alarm Clock, Calculator, Camera, Music player, Picture viewer, and Messaging (for SMS/MMS conversations.)


• Several new development tools were added, such as a graphical preview for XML layouts for users of Eclipse, and a tool for constructing 9-patch images.


• Since we've got a new Home screen application now, we thought the now-obsolete version from the M5 early-look SDK might be helpful to developers, so its source is included as a sample.


• A number of new APIs are fleshed out and improved, and others are now close to their final forms for 1.0.


• Tons of bugs were fixed, of course. (If you had problems with the MediaPlayer, try it now!)

This is how the new main screen of the emulator looks: