diff --git a/src/androidhelper.cpp b/src/androidhelper.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb9e790
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/androidhelper.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#include "androidhelper.h"
+
+#include <QAndroidJniObject>
+#include <QtAndroid>
+
+AndroidHelper::AndroidHelper()
+{
+
+}
+
+void AndroidHelper::setScreenOrientation(int orientation)
+{
+QAndroidJniObject activity = QtAndroid::androidActivity();
+if ( activity.isValid() )
+    {
+        activity.callMethod<void>
+                ("setRequestedOrientation" // method name
+                 , "(I)V" // signature
+                 , orientation);
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/src/androidhelper.h b/src/androidhelper.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6567154
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/androidhelper.h
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#ifndef ANDROIDHELPER_H
+#define ANDROIDHELPER_H
+
+
+class AndroidHelper
+{
+public:
+    AndroidHelper();
+    void setScreenOrientation(int orientation);
+};
+
+#endif // ANDROIDHELPER_H
diff --git a/src/control.js b/src/control.js
index 0ef963e..17681f2 100644
--- a/src/control.js
+++ b/src/control.js
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 ScriptProxy.signalKeyPress.connect(onKeyPress);
 ScriptProxy.signalKeyRelease.connect(onKeyRelease);
 
+ScriptProxy.signalGestureStarted.connect(onGestureStarted);
+ScriptProxy.signalGestureFinished.connect(onGestureFinished);
+
 //coordinate system 0,0 of playerVehicles[1] is in topleft corner
 // angles are degree by default
 
@@ -86,13 +89,29 @@ function startWormholeTravel(/*Vehicle* */ vehicle)
 	soundEngine.play('vanish.wav');
 }
 
+function onGestureStarted(gesture)
+{
+    if(gesture === Qt.TapGesture)
+    {
+        startAcceleration(playerVehicles[0]);
+    }
+}
+
+function onGestureFinished(gesture)
+{
+    if(gesture === Qt.TapGesture)
+    {
+        stopAcceleration(playerVehicles[0]);
+    }
+}
+
 function onKeyPress(key)
 	{
 
 	if(!isNullQObject(playerVehicles[0])
 		&& playerVehicles[0].control == true && playerVehicles[0].wormholeState == Vehicle.outside)
 	switch(key)
-	{
+	{      
 		case Qt.Key_Up:
 		{
 			startAcceleration(playerVehicles[0]);
diff --git a/src/graphicsview.cpp b/src/graphicsview.cpp
index 0e9e9d2..af06e5c 100644
--- a/src/graphicsview.cpp
+++ b/src/graphicsview.cpp
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 #include <QDir>
 #include <QScriptValue>
 #include <QMessageBox>
+#include <QEvent>
+#include <QGestureEvent>
 #include "graphicsview.h"
 #include "globalvariables.h"
 #include "vehicle.h"
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@ GraphicsView::GraphicsView(QWidget * parent)
 
 
 
+
 	// disable scroll bars
 	this->setVerticalScrollBarPolicy( Qt::ScrollBarAlwaysOff );
 	this->setHorizontalScrollBarPolicy( Qt::ScrollBarAlwaysOff );
@@ -62,6 +65,15 @@ GraphicsView::GraphicsView(QWidget * parent)
 										|QGraphicsView::DontAdjustForAntialiasing);
 	//*/
 
+    // pan and swipe gestures only work with 2 fingers
+    QList<Qt::GestureType> gestures;
+    gestures << Qt::TapGesture << Qt::TapAndHoldGesture;
+    foreach(Qt::GestureType gesture, gestures)
+    {
+         this->viewport()->grabGesture(gesture);
+    }
+    viewport()->setAttribute(Qt::WA_AcceptTouchEvents);
+
 	this->setRenderHint(QPainter::Antialiasing,false);
 
 	setStyleSheet("QGraphicsView { border: none }");
@@ -89,6 +101,53 @@ GraphicsView::~GraphicsView()
 	delete graphicsEngine;
 }
 
+/*virtual*/ bool GraphicsView::viewportEvent(QEvent *event)
+{
+    if (event->type() == QEvent::Gesture)
+    {
+        QGestureEvent* e = static_cast<QGestureEvent*>(event);
+        //QGesture* gesture = e->gesture(Qt::TapGesture);
+        QList<QGesture*> gestures = e->gestures();
+        foreach(QGesture* gesture, gestures)
+        {
+            Qt::GestureType type = gesture->gestureType();
+            if(type == Qt::TapGesture)
+            {
+                if(gesture->state() == Qt::GestureStarted)
+                {
+                    qDebug() << "Tap Gesture started";
+                    emit signalKeyPress(Qt::Key_Space);
+                }
+                else if(gesture->state() == Qt::GestureFinished)
+                {
+                    qDebug() << "Tap Gesture stopped";
+                    emit signalKeyRelease(Qt::Key_Space);
+                }
+            }
+//            else if(type == Qt::TapAndHoldGesture)
+//            {
+//                if(gesture->state() == Qt::GestureStarted)
+//                {
+//                    qDebug() << "Tap and hold Gesture started";
+//                    emit signalKeyPress(Qt::Key_Up);
+//                }
+//                else if(gesture->state() == Qt::GestureFinished)
+//                {
+//                    qDebug() << "Tap and hold Gesture stopped";
+//                    emit signalKeyRelease(Qt::Key_Up);
+//                }
+//            }
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
+//    else if (event->type() == QEvent::TouchBegin)
+//    {
+//      return false;
+//    }
+    else return QGraphicsView::viewportEvent(event);
+}
+
 void GraphicsView::restart()
 {
 	// clears the screen
diff --git a/src/graphicsview.h b/src/graphicsview.h
index 2eb7bc9..8a10b3a 100644
--- a/src/graphicsview.h
+++ b/src/graphicsview.h
@@ -54,10 +54,11 @@ private slots:
 	QGraphicsRectItem * addRect(QPointF pos, QSizeF size);
 
 	// events
-	virtual void timerEvent(QTimerEvent* event);
-	void resizeEvent(QResizeEvent *event);
-	void keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent *event);
-	void keyReleaseEvent(QKeyEvent *event);
+    virtual void timerEvent(QTimerEvent* event) Q_DECL_OVERRIDE;
+    virtual void resizeEvent(QResizeEvent *event) Q_DECL_OVERRIDE;
+    virtual void keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent *event) Q_DECL_OVERRIDE;
+    virtual void keyReleaseEvent(QKeyEvent *event) Q_DECL_OVERRIDE;
+    virtual bool viewportEvent(QEvent *event) Q_DECL_OVERRIDE;
 
 	// save window geometry
 	void closeEvent(QCloseEvent *event);
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 296c152..82a1dda 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 #include <QApplication>
 #include <QTime>
 #include <QInputDialog>
+#include "androidhelper.h"
 #include "graphicsview.h"
 
 int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 {
+
+
+
 	QApplication app( argc, argv );
 	app.setApplicationName("tasteroids");
 	app.setOrganizationName("Taiko");
@@ -14,7 +18,16 @@ int main(int argc, char ** argv)
 	qsrand(QTime(0,0,0).secsTo(QTime::currentTime()));  // seed the random number generator
 	//int playerCount = QInputDialog::getInt(NULL,QObject::tr("Player Count"),QObject::tr("Enter number of players"),
 	//									   1,1,2);
-	GraphicsView view;
+
+
+    // background image and tap gesture only work in landscape
+#ifdef Q_OS_ANDROID
+    AndroidHelper helper;
+    const int SCREEN_ORIENTATION_SENSOR_LANDSCAPE = 6;
+    helper.setScreenOrientation(SCREEN_ORIENTATION_SENSOR_LANDSCAPE);
+#endif
+
+    GraphicsView view;
 	//view.setPlayerCount(playerCount);
 	view.restart();
 	view.show();
diff --git a/src/scriptproxy.h b/src/scriptproxy.h
index 6d8e8a0..232add9 100644
--- a/src/scriptproxy.h
+++ b/src/scriptproxy.h
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ Q_OBJECT
 signals:
 	void signalKeyPress(int);
 	void signalKeyRelease(int);
+    void signalGestureStarted(int);
+    void signalGestureFinished(int);
 	void signalTimerEvent();
 
 private:
diff --git a/tasteroids.pro b/tasteroids.pro
index 6606d2b..f6f9e95 100644
--- a/tasteroids.pro
+++ b/tasteroids.pro
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ win32:{
 	INCLUDEPATH += SDL/include
 	QMAKE_LIBDIR += SDL
 }
+android {
+    QT += androidextras
+    SOURCES += src/androidhelper.cpp #my android specific cpp file
+    HEADERS += src/androidhelper.h   #my android specific header file
+}
 #CONFIG += c++11
 CONFIG += create_prl
 CONFIG += warn_on