Book Image

Learning Embedded Android N Programming

By : Ivan Morgillo
Book Image

Learning Embedded Android N Programming

By: Ivan Morgillo

Overview of this book

Take a deep dive into the Android build system and its customization with Learning Embedded Android Programming, written to help you master the steep learning curve of working with embedded Android. Start by exploring the basics of Android OS, discover Google’s “repo” system, and discover how to retrieve AOSP source code. You'll then find out to set up the build environment and the first AOSP system. Next, learn how to customize the boot sequence with a new animation, and use an Android “kitchen” to “cook” your custom ROM. By the end of the book, you'll be able to build customized Android open source projects by developing your own set of features.
Table of Contents (15 chapters)
Learning Embedded Android N Programming
Credits
About the Authors
About the Reviewer
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

History of custom ROMs


First things first—What does "Custom ROM" mean?

Most Android devices come with so-called NAND memories. A NAND memory is a particular type of flash memory. A flash memory is based on transistors, instead of rotating disks, like in old hard drives. This type of memory is completely electrically managed—it can be written and erased and can store data indefinitely (not volatile). Knowing this, we may think that everything is writable on Android. Well, not exactly!

The acronym ROM stands for Read-Only Memory. This type of memory is often used in embedded systems to safely store all those files that are part of the core system. In an effort to guarantee the highest system integrity possible, developers must be sure that the core system stays intact over device reboots and possible failures. That's why the core system is stored in a type of memory that can only be written once—Read-Only Memory, to be precise. With time, the Android hacking community took the acronym and transformed...