Episode 40: Exploring the Android Support Libraries & Google Play Services

In this episode of the Xamarin Podcast, James Montemagno is joined by Jon Dick of the Xamarin components team to discuss the Android Support Libraries and Google Play Services. Don't miss this super informative episode overviewing what these important libraries are, why they are necessary, what's new, and how to use them in your apps today.

7:00 - What are the Android Support Libraries?
8:30 - Is it possible to build your app without the Android Support Libraries?
11:45 - What does each Android Support Library do?
15:00 - Versioning for Android Support Libraries, especially in relation to Xamarin.Forms
16:45 - Should you always be using the latest version of the Android Support Libraries?
25:00 - New things in the Android Support Libraries
33:00 - Overview of Google Play Services
44:00 - Tool/Package/Extension of the Week

• James: Twitter, Blog, GitHub, Merge Conflict Podcast
• Jon: Twitter, GitHub

Subscribe:

• iTunes
• Google Play Music
• Overcast

Special Guest: Jon Dick.

Links:

• Improvements coming to Xamarin Google Play Services – Redth
• Your App Needs More Google Play Services • Xamarin Evolve 2016 — Jonathan Dick is developer who hails from The Great White North and has been slinging C# for mobile since it was born.
• Implementing Push Notifications in Your Android Apps | Xamarin Blog
• Picking your compileSdkVersion, minSdkVersion, targetSdkVersion
• Snack Pack 11: Understanding Android API Level Settings | The Xamarin Show
• Pick of Show: EditorConfigLanguage: A Visual Studio extension
• Pick of Show: NGraphics is a cross platform library for rendering vector graphics
• Coffeehouse Blunders