I have recently started developing a new application for the Android platform. It had been a while since I experimented with Android and this really manifested itself when I started this new project a couple of months ago. Having to deal with new Android features and corresponding backwards compatibility issues, I experienced a steep learning curve. This article highlights the lessons learned during this process. JDK Selection I have been a Linux user since 2001 and never looked back since then. So if you are developing on Linux, make sure to replace the default OpenJDK with Oracle's. This will save you a lot of headache dealing with peculiar errors and exceptions during the initial set-up process. Selecting an IDE I really like NetBeans and still develop with this IDE when it comes to PHP; it definitely feels much more intuitive than Eclipse. However, when it comes to Android development, it did not take long for me to realize I was fighting an uphill battle. With its excellen...