bloc tech talk android taking over
DESCRIPTION
Do you have an idea for a mobile app? Bloc recently launched an online apprenticeship in Android Development. In this free online TechTalk, we will teach you to set up your Android developer environment. Android is Taking Over Recent reports from Gartner project that by 2015, Android will represent over 50% of all devices in the world. Hear from Stan about where Android is today and where it's going. Crucial First Steps Have an app idea? Stan will share the first teps you should take in your journey, and some great free resources to use, as well as important blogs to follow. Demo: Set up your Dev Environment Finally, Stan will send the bulk of this TechTalk demoing exactly how to set up your Android developer environment as you follow-along. Meet Your Host: Stan Idesis - Director of Android Apprenticeship Stan has been developing for Android apps since 2009. Prior to Bloc, Stan was the founder of Playerful, a platform for cross-device and cross-platform app gamification. He was also the founder of MindGap, a development firm that worked with Kwarter, Budweiser, and NFL Fan Zone. And before that, Stan was a mobile developer at Zynga.TRANSCRIPT
“Bloc is the perfect hybrid between the online learning and the intensive bootcamps.”
Seth Siegler Founder, Hoverboard Labs
Programming is a craft best learned under a watchful eye of an experienced practitioner. Like any craft, this has
been true for thousands of years, and we’re providing the best platform to make it possible online.
Software craftsmanship is a recent movement to bring quality and beauty to the development of new software, as
designed by great companies such as Facebook, Google, and Apple, and was pioneered by organizations such as
37 Signals, Pivotal Labs, and Thoughtbot.
● Show. Don’t Tell.
● Projects. Not Concepts.
● Mentors. Not Teachers.
● Portfolios. Not Certificates.
Programming is a Craft
● TechCrunch - 79% global market share today (in
mobile-only)
● Gartner - over 50% of all devices (not just mobile)
by 2015
● Craig Palli of Fiksu: 10 Reasons to Develop for
Android First
● Behind the internet of things is Android
● Phones, Tablets
● Google TV and Smart TVs
● Smart Watches
● Google Glass
● Robots
● NASA NanoSats
● and more...
Android is Taking Over the World
Meet Stan
● Stan is Bloc’s Director of Android Development
● He is responsible for writing and maintaining the course syllabus, recruiting and training Android mentors, and working with students during Office Hours
● Prior to Bloc, Stan worked as a mobile developer at Kwarter, Inc.
● Prior to that, he worked at Zynga on the Words With Friends franchise
I. Proper Hardware
A. Powerful Computer
B. Recent Device
II. Java and Software Engineering Fundamentals
A. Learn Java online http://www.learnjavaonline.org/
B. Java from the ground up http://www.javaworld.com/article/2076075/core-java/learn-java-from-
the-ground-up.html
C. Quick reference http://www.tutorialspoint.com/java/java_quick_guide.htm
III. Imagine Your Final Product
A. What do you want to build?
B. Browse the app store for inspiration http://play.google.com/store/apps
IV. Development Environment…
Becoming an Android Developer
How to Setup your Android Dev Environment
(30 min. demo)
The Most Face-Time
● Weekly 1-on-1s
● No message boards. No virtual classrooms.
● Office Hours with Course Director and on-call mentors
● 5 Meetings with your personal guidance counselor
Serious Real-World Results
● 15, 25, or 40 Hours/Week Commitment (12/18/36 week options)
● Project-based, e.g. build versions of Evernote, Quora, and Tetris
● Use industry standard tools used by professional developers
Built for Entrepreneurs
● Don’t make any marketing claims around job placement or starting salaries
● Pick your own capstone project, define the Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
● Design it, build it, and launch in 3 three weeks
Built Around You (not the other way around)
● Apprenticeships start every week. No 3 month wait
● Choose a mentor who can adapt to your skills, interests, & pacing
● Work from anywhere, any time of day (or night)
The Bloc Apprenticeship
Learn the basics of programming and computing
● Learn Java from the ground up. No programming experience? Not a problem● Manage your code with Git and GitHub● Become a 1337 haxXor after you master the command line
Dive deep into Android
● Work your way from an empty project to an Evernote clone complete with notes and notebooks
● Learn fundamental programming skills such as SQL databases, MVC, network access and multi-threading
● Grok core Android concepts such as Activities, Fragments, Views, resources, animations, tablet support, rotation, etc.
Syllabus Phase 1: Fundamentals
Create full Android apps from scratch
We'll give you a menu of apps to choose from so you can focus on the skills and concepts that most interest you. Examples of apps you may choose to build:
● BlocSpot - A Geo-Fenced POI tracker powered by Google Maps and Google Places● Blocs - A Tetris clone built with AndEngine● BloQuery - Your very own version of Quora powered by Parse● And more!
Capstone Project: Have an app idea? Build v1 with your mentor
● Work with your mentor to define the scope of your dream project● Design, build, test, and launch your capstone app. Show off your capstone project to the
world!● Graduate from Bloc, enter our alumni community, and launch your app in the Google Play
Store.
Syllabus Phase 2: Build Real Apps
After Bloc
You will have:
● Qualifications and capabilities employers would expect of a junior developer /
designer
● Solid expectation of the interview process for a development role
● Project portfolio on GitHub – imperative for employers to see from applicants
● Understanding of how to break down any project
● Access to all current and future Bloc curriculum for that apprenticeship
● Access to Bloc alumni forum and LinkedIn group
Payment Options
Installment Plan:
● Pay up front or in four monthly installments.
Real Results Guarantee:
● Get a full refund after the first week. A pro-rated refund any time after that.
What you Get:
● Comprehensive Curriculum + Materials (e.g. UX Design includes Adobe Creative Cloud, Android includes free phone)
● Weekly one-on-one meetings with your mentor
● Live Office Hours chatroom
Diversity Scholarship:
● Bloc offers a $500 off Scholarship for 2 students per week - www.bloc.io/scholarship/new
● You are eligible if you are female, a veteran of the U.S. Military, or from an ethnic minority group underrepresented in the
software engineering field (African American, Chicano/Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander)
Q&A
Bloc wants you!
415-341-3121
https://www.bloc.io/enroll
FAQ
● How sophisticated of an application will I be able to build
after Bloc? / How capable will I be?
● What if I work during weird/late/early morning hours?
● Do you teach cross-over mobile technologies like PhoneGap?
● How are you different from other bootcamps?