Porting to Android - Learn SpriteBuilder for iOS Game Development - page 433

An Android Device Is Mandatory
Next, you'll need an Android device. There's no way around this. At the time of this writ-
ing and the foreseeable future, Android emulators are not supported by the SpriteBuilder
Android plugins.
Android emulators also can't really be compared to the iOS Simulator in terms of reliabil-
ity and accuracy. Perhaps the difference is best explained by how emulation differs from
simulation .
An emulator outwardly mimics device behavior but does not run the same code paths,
frameworks, and libraries as the device. A simulator , on the other hand, implements and
uses as much of the device's software as possible, including the same frameworks and
software libraries. Where emulation layers are necessary, they are written to mimic the in-
ternal behavior of the code as a whole.
If you have the option to choose a device, I recommend that you stick with popular mod-
els. That means the Samsung Galaxy and Google Nexus series mainly, but the LG G3,
HTC One, and Sony Experia are also popular contenders. Try to get a phone, as they are
far more widely used than tablets, unless you want to develop specifically for tablets—in
that case, get a tablet.
Be sure to get a device that can be upgraded to the latest Android OS. The Google devices
generally receive the most OS updates for the longest time period, with little to no delays.
Connecting an Android Device via USB
Once you have an Android device, connect it to your Mac. Be sure to plug it straight into
a USB port on your Mac. Avoid using USB hubs and extension cords, as they can prevent
the device from being recognized by the operating system. They may also slow down
transfer rates or make transfers unreliable.
The same goes for third-party cables. If at all possible, use the USB cable that came with
the device.
Note Like on iOS, transferring apps and debugging them is not possible via
WiFi or Bluetooth connections. A wired USB connection is mandatory for de-
velopment.