What is Material Design in Android?

I really love the new material design that Google announced during the Google I/O 2014. Its guidelines were suggested since last year's Maps redesign and Google Now UI but it is now the new identity of Android and Google products. Yet, will major apps...

Are the existing tutorials(on Coursera, etc),books/materials still relevant for someone(with Java background) who wants to write Android apps in the near future?

I am an android developer. I can code back-end task very well but when is comes to design UI my app does not look quite good. Is there any template available for android app design ? Or Any good tutorial for good UI design in android ?

I am working on project in which I need to improve/redesign existing real time tracking of Android devices. Android devices send it's location + few more metadata to our server in every 45 seconds and we update these details in maps to show device location...

Yes, they have NOT yet been officially released to public, BUT just what are your thoughts on them right now?

I am B.Tech final year student . This year I have to take major project. I don't want to take a project which I don't like. Also professors won't listen to me if I say that I want to develop an application unless I explain them that it's a research topic...

I'm developing an Android app and want to follow the design guidelines as closely as possible and I'm finding some concepts difficult to visualize. I know that Google Play Music is a great reference but I would like another example of their design concepts...

In almost all cases, Android apps are not up-to-par with iPhone apps; that being said, I'm interested in seeing what non-game apps are pushing the bounds of what can be done visually on the Android platform.

Like having an Action Bar is inherent to the Android experience now. If I want multiple tabs as in Android Apps on Google Play, how should I redesign, to please the new versions but not ignore the older ones.