public class MainActivity extends Activity {

    
    private SharedPreferences sharedPreferences;

    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        
       	// you dont actually need the context variable
	// inside of an activity class you can pass it as this and that will work
	// it just reads a bit better
	
        context = this;
        sharedPreferences = PreferenceManager
                .getDefaultSharedPreferences(context);
	
        switch (checkAppStart(this,sharedPreferences)) {
        case NORMAL:
            // We don't want to get on the user's nerves
            break;
        case FIRST_TIME_VERSION:
            // TODO show what's new
            break;
        case FIRST_TIME:
            // TODO show a tutorial
            break;
        default:
            break;
        }

        // ...
    }
    // ...
}