Android :: Advice On First Application (loading Data / Populating Data)

to start with I've gone through the entire notepad tutorial, I'm a professional game programmer who has some extra time. (though most of my time has been in C++, I did take a year or two of Java classes in college, and remember some of it). I'm not sure the site is a good site to ask questions like this.. If someone has a Forum that might be a good place to ask these newbie questions, please feel free to point me in the direction. I've examined a few of the samples, and think I've a grasp of what I want to do. I've a three to four project plan for some Android releases to sharpen my skills, but since this is my first project and I have never really developed for a mobile phone or the android before, I'd like to make sure I have a solid plan.The first project is an example of the license plate game, however I want to do a few things to change it. Heck maybe when I'm done it'll become a bingo style game, with bluetooth connectivity, you never know. The base idea is I want to offer a list of states, with checkboxes next to them. so to do this, I'll be starting with a Linear List layout similar to the note pad example, and then have a row that is only a Checkbox. I can use text and call strike through if it's been checked off. Perhaps offer an option to not show them if they are checked.

But I want the list to be generated from a set of lists. Maybe all of America's states, maybe reasonable American states (no Hawaii, no Alaska) maybe a North American list, (add in Mexico and some Canadian provinces), a European list, who knows. I'd probably have to have a pop up window that lists all of the lists I suppose using a radiogroup of some sort. So then as far as the data, after weighing options I think best solution is to make a database with two fields, "checked" and "name".I figure I can use the menu for most of the user interaction (aside from clicking on stuff we want to check off) with maybe a few context menu items, I understand how to make all of those already so I should be good. The question I have is what is the best way to populate the lists? Should I create raw data, and have different files for all the lists? Or is there some other way to do this? I've seen this done on the searchable dictionary, but I'd like to hear what people who have actually generated the data like this before. In addition is there an easy way to look at the sql database these applications create, or do you have to run searches on them and output the data? Finally any other suggestion or advice? I definitely want to try to get something like this on the market so I can see the full life cycle and see if anyone actually likes it. (luckily there's not a plethora of them already) but I also want a few people to look over my code if they're willing when I'm done to make sure I've done this right or at least not missing any basic mistakes.