Google updates Android SDK with added emulator support

Google has launched revision 17 of the Android SDK tools and Eclipse plugin, with updated support for the platform's emulator a key addition.

As detailed on the Android Developers blog, Google has also decided to revise the Lint build system, with 40 new rules now monitoring performance and guarding against errors.

x86 marks the spot

It's the emulator, however, that's grabbing most attention, with the firm adding the ability to run x86 system images in a virtualisation mode on both Windows and Mac OS X.

"This allows the emulator to run at near native speed," said Google on its blog, touting "big improvements."

Google claims it's also adding experimental support for multi-touch input through a tethered Android device to the emulator, following the addition of webcam support and sensor emulation.

More detail can be found on the Android Developers blog.