How to get from a MySql server to an Android app?

Try this method out. I will be using this method for the current project i am working on.

You basically create a php script on a server and use http posts to send the data to the script, read the tutorial linked below for better explanation.

mysql/android tutorial

You may want to look at C2DM (http://code.google.com/android/c2dm/).

A common way is to write a REST web service and have Android call that and get the data from the server.

If you want to push it, if the data is small enough, you could use SMS and just send the data as a text message to the device.

You don't want to open access to your database so by using the web service you can better protect your database.

There are many approaches to this, but I would use an SOA.

Your mobile application will need to follow a typical service-oriented architecture (SOA) andwill need three distinct elements: an external database; a web-service; and a mobile web-service client.

You will need to create a web-service using something like Java EE that receives a request from the locally installed android application, and responds with the required data from the external MySql database.

I am using the KSOAP for android libraries to do this, but should ideally be using REST.