My client has Android phones with ARMv6 chips. What to do?

Getting Started Newbie Questions
#1

I have an opportunity to take on a national client for their Android mobile Apps. All the users have Android phones which is interesting. The IT director and myself have 2 year old Android phones with ARMv6 Instruction Set CPUs, not the newer ARMv7 spec.

Telling most of their users all over the country to either buy a new phone or take a hike is not an option. This ARMv6 exclusion is a real deal breaker for me.

Since Corona SDK and Apache Flex both require the ARMv7 or better, what are my options?

  • Alan Gruskoff

[import]uid: 6114 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 330862[/import]

#2

I think if that’s the case, you’d probably have to develop in Java using the Android SDK (which IMHO wasn’t a pleasant experience!)

Perhaps someone else has more information? [import]uid: 87794 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123426[/import]

#3

NOT doing Java. Hate Java.

Adobe PhoneGap/Cordova is looking real good to me right now.
I like that I can link in a lot of high end modules and not have to pay an expensive “Enterprise” $Fee. On any fee at present.

I need Speech Recognition and Bar Code scanning for Business Applications. Not killing birds, trying to serve my database customers with Mobile Business Apps. Scratching my head as to whether Corona can hang with that…
[import]uid: 6114 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123427[/import]

#4

Yup I agree - Java is horrid and the Android SDK (when I last used it anyway) is terrible. I’m not experienced in PhoneGap/Cordova but I’m sure someone around here will have more of an idea!

Good luck! [import]uid: 87794 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123428[/import]

#5

You can use an earlier build of Corona before the hardware restrictions were put in place - but remember Corona is a game framework you might be better off with other platforms. [import]uid: 33275 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123439[/import]

#6

Yeah I tried that. Installed Build 704 which was around when I started. That did not work on the ARMv6 type phones which was disappointing. Its less about games vs. business than it is about supporting last years’ phones. Thats a deal killer for me. [import]uid: 6114 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123441[/import]

#7

Try to use 2011.319 build to support ARMv6. Works fine for me. [import]uid: 12704 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123503[/import]

#8

@gtatarkin - Thanks for the advice.

I did try a Build 319 install. The adb tool DID successfully install the APK. That trivial test app APK immediately crashed upon execution. Interesting experiment. Dont know that I am willing to roll back to Build 319 considering all the huge feature additions and bug fixes CoronaLabs has made since then.

Worth a try. [import]uid: 6114 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123564[/import]

#9

Hey Alan - sorry, wish we could help you out. But we made the decision because of performance and to make our, and our developers’, lives easier. Not much we can do about this at this point. Hopefully build 319 works for you…
[import]uid: 10668 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123702[/import]

#10

Thanks for chiming in @David.

No Builds 704 nor 319 did not work. What does work is PhoneGap/Cordova, thats where I am moving non-game development to.

Now how does NOT supporting my client’s devices make my life as a paying Corona customer easier?

[import]uid: 6114 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123705[/import]

#11

I think if that’s the case, you’d probably have to develop in Java using the Android SDK (which IMHO wasn’t a pleasant experience!)

Perhaps someone else has more information? [import]uid: 87794 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123426[/import]

#12

NOT doing Java. Hate Java.

Adobe PhoneGap/Cordova is looking real good to me right now.
I like that I can link in a lot of high end modules and not have to pay an expensive “Enterprise” $Fee. On any fee at present.

I need Speech Recognition and Bar Code scanning for Business Applications. Not killing birds, trying to serve my database customers with Mobile Business Apps. Scratching my head as to whether Corona can hang with that…
[import]uid: 6114 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123427[/import]

#13

Yup I agree - Java is horrid and the Android SDK (when I last used it anyway) is terrible. I’m not experienced in PhoneGap/Cordova but I’m sure someone around here will have more of an idea!

Good luck! [import]uid: 87794 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123428[/import]

#14

You can use an earlier build of Corona before the hardware restrictions were put in place - but remember Corona is a game framework you might be better off with other platforms. [import]uid: 33275 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123439[/import]

#15

Yeah I tried that. Installed Build 704 which was around when I started. That did not work on the ARMv6 type phones which was disappointing. Its less about games vs. business than it is about supporting last years’ phones. Thats a deal killer for me. [import]uid: 6114 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123441[/import]

#16

Try to use 2011.319 build to support ARMv6. Works fine for me. [import]uid: 12704 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123503[/import]

#17

@gtatarkin - Thanks for the advice.

I did try a Build 319 install. The adb tool DID successfully install the APK. That trivial test app APK immediately crashed upon execution. Interesting experiment. Dont know that I am willing to roll back to Build 319 considering all the huge feature additions and bug fixes CoronaLabs has made since then.

Worth a try. [import]uid: 6114 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123564[/import]

#18

Hey Alan - sorry, wish we could help you out. But we made the decision because of performance and to make our, and our developers’, lives easier. Not much we can do about this at this point. Hopefully build 319 works for you…
[import]uid: 10668 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123702[/import]

#19

Thanks for chiming in @David.

No Builds 704 nor 319 did not work. What does work is PhoneGap/Cordova, thats where I am moving non-game development to.

Now how does NOT supporting my client’s devices make my life as a paying Corona customer easier?

[import]uid: 6114 topic_id: 30862 reply_id: 123705[/import]