July 9th Update:
Sorry for the long delay everybody, I’ve just wrapped up moving and managed to get settled in a little bit. I’ll be able to pick up the pace over the next week. In the meantime, I’ve got a quick proof of concept project and that hint towards the mini project.
Let’s start with a quick review of the tablet itself. When you first pick it up, it’s wonderfully light and the rear has a great grippy-ness to it. The display looks fantastic and the system feels smooth & responsive. The second thing everyone will want to do (or at least I did) was test the waterproofing. Filled up the kitchen sink and ‘accidentally’ put the tablet in while my roommates were around. Several seconds of panic [on their part] later and the tablet works just fine. On the software side, the Sony apps look nice and cover basic functions like gallery and music. There’s a nice level of polish to the visuals. The remote and mini-apps work nicely, as I came to expect with my other Sony tablet. Every person I’ve shown it to has been quite impressed and intrigued by it. My Apple-loving friends no longer have any arguments about their iPad’s superiority (despite my older tablets being more powerful than their iCounterparts), this tablet has the design and build quality to stop them in their tracks.
As for Sony’s Smarttags, there’s not a lot to say about them other than that they’re aesthetically pleasing, relatively unobtrusive, and work well as an NFC tag. The software on the tablet does a great job of allowing one to customize actions to work with the tags.
As for the hint, I’m going to start with two of them, as I didn’t add one last week. This project originally began as part of this prescient home and then I decided I could adapt part of it to be more fun than practical.
1. A great place to set down one’s drink.
2. Tabletop gaming.
What I’m calling the proof of concept project was put together while moving. It starts with a secret… I’m a bathroom reader. Okay, so maybe that’s not a huge secret (books and magazines strewn around the bathroom is a bit of a giveaway), but it’s not exactly a polite conversation topic. It was conceived while describing the project to a friend who pointed out that he doesn’t cook, but there was an alternate use he found noteworthy (i.e. reading the royal reports on the porcelain throne). Henceforth this will just be described as the book preparation device (or BPD to save some typing). The materials needed are superglue, a sharp knife (preferably something like an Exacto), an NFC tag, and a magazine that you don’t want to read anymore. Use the superglue to laminate a block of pages together, either the whole magazine or just a section large enough to house the NFC tag. The one I did was about a 3 inch square through the whole magazine, excluding the cover. This also left the edges loose, providing a more authentic magazine look, rather than a big mess of superglue. Once this is set and dried, outline the NFC tag on the block for the pattern to cut. Cut and remove layers until you’ve made a cavity large enough for the tag to fit. Snugness is a personal preference, I left mine so that the tag was removable, but a tight fit and some glue could make this more permanent. Sony’s native Smarttag software works well for this application. Just customize the options so that the tag (blue in this case) triggers the tablet to open Play Books. A nice feature of Sony’s application is that there are ‘end’ actions, so a second contact with the tag causes a second set of actions to occur. I set this option to return to the home screen and read the time aloud (so that I know how late I am to wherever I’m headed). Once this is set up, leave the magazine near your reading chair. Place the tablet on the BPD as you sit down and presto! Your book is opened, as if by magic. When you’re done reading, set the tablet down again, stand, stretch, and poof! Your tablet has closed the book, told you how long you were lost in it, and is ready to travel to the next project.
I’ll add some pictures and a video here before too long. Maybe even a witty/catchy acronym to rename the project.
====Old/Original Posts Below===
Welcome to my secret underground lair... I mean thread detailing my entry into the Tablet Z competition. This first post will likely be a bit brief, but will hopefully clarify the concept of this project. This project will likely be a bit different than some of the software-focused entries, as the entire system hinges upon a series of physical constructs. As such, I'm going to attempt to detail every step, with hopes that some of you may find this interesting enough to try for yourself. I'd love to hear what everyone has to say and will try to respond to as many questions/input as I can.
Concept:
To utilize NFC and other features of the Tablet Z in order to produce a system which causes the tablet to perform actions in a semi-predictive matter.
Methodology:
I intend to modify items to produce convenient and unobtrusive ways of integrating NFC tags. This will provide the infrastructure for the system. On the device, software will be used to carry out instructions specific to the tag and other variables.
To put my sciencey talk into a more tangible example, take for instance the kitchen. What function would be handy for a tablet to perform by itself? The most obvious answer to me, is for it to open up a recipe. In order to accomplish this, I intend to create a stand with an integrated NFC tag, which would trigger the tablet to open a recipe app. Depending on the software side (which I plan on mostly using existing apps, as I'm not much of a coder), I would ideally have the system cross reference a menu that's been planned out (i.e. that you had planned for meatloaf on Monday night, the tablet would open directly to a meatloaf recipe). As a starting point, it will likely open to a random recipe. For anyone following along at home, the action should be easily modified on the software side. Perhaps some people prefer to catch up with HBO or listen to some Sinatra while cooking. The idea is in the same vein as the whole home-of-the-future concept.
This concept will be extrapolated to several rooms.Other planned functionality would be to automatically turn on the TV in the living room, play music in the den, set alarms in the bedroom, and perhaps a few other tricks along the way.
Before I wrap this post up, I'd like to say thanks to XDA and Sony for holding this competition and giving me the opportunity to create this project. I'd also like to say thanks to everyone who takes the time to follow the projects in this contest and hope that everyone has a bit of fun.
PS- This first week is going to be slow (I'm moving at the end of the month), but I'll try to post a hint towards the mini-project within this one. I'm attempting to keep it as a bit of a surprise.
Kitchen
Reserving some space.
Living Room
More space.
Bedroom
Spaced out.
Other/Etc
In space, no one can hear you wait between posts...
Seems interesting
Wish you good luck for the competition
Related
Hi everyone,
I don't know how to develop software in Android, but I eventually hope to. I mainly registered to put forward an idea, and to know if it's already available or if it's even possible.
I want to read mathematics books while I run and bike. So far this has not been possible. But with the launch of Google Glass this looks possible. I enjoy the exercise and the scenery while running and biking. But the problem is that it's also huge waste of time for me. So I don't go running as much as I could. There's nothing to think about other than what's around you and just putting one foot in front of the other, so it even gets boring sometimes. It would be better if I can get some of my work done while I'm running, and enjoy the exercise, fresh air and the scenery at the same time.
Typically people can listen to audiobooks when they run. Or there are android apps that will read from a text ebook so they can listen to it. But you can't listen to a mathematics book because there are symbols, and those symbols are most often there as graphics, not text.
It would be great if Google Glass has an ebook reader on it, or can tether with a smartphone and display the screen, so a runner could read a book while running. You'd need some controls to turn the pages, maybe zoom, go left, right, up and down, while the book is open. And a navigation system to open a new book.
What are your thoughts? Can it be done?
Thanks.
omoplata1 said:
Hi everyone,
I don't know how to develop software in Android, but I eventually hope to. I mainly registered to put forward an idea, and to know if it's already available or if it's even possible.
I want to read mathematics books while I run and bike. So far this has not been possible. But with the launch of Google Glass this looks possible. I enjoy the exercise and the scenery while running and biking. But the problem is that it's also huge waste of time for me. So I don't go running as much as I could. There's nothing to think about other than what's around you and just putting one foot in front of the other, so it even gets boring sometimes. It would be better if I can get some of my work done while I'm running, and enjoy the exercise, fresh air and the scenery at the same time.
Typically people can listen to audiobooks when they run. Or there are android apps that will read from a text ebook so they can listen to it. But you can't listen to a mathematics book because there are symbols, and those symbols are most often there as graphics, not text.
It would be great if Google Glass has an ebook reader on it, or can tether with a smartphone and display the screen, so a runner could read a book while running. You'd need some controls to turn the pages, maybe zoom, go left, right, up and down, while the book is open. And a navigation system to open a new book.
What are your thoughts? Can it be done?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) It could be done, but that is not what glass is meant for. Glass is designed for less than 30 second, limit one minute, interactions.
2) Watching a youtube video on glass for 3 minutes in the latest update hurts my eyes because i'm staring at it for so long. Its like when you're developing for it, you get eyestrain if you constantly look at it. Looking at Glass for long periods of time hurts.
3) It would be hard to see since it has some viewing problems in light.
4) It would be plain awkward to be running around, constantly looking up and to the right. Plus, you might run into something xD
Hey guys! I’m doing a personal review of Ubuntu Touch on the Nexus4 device, and I thought I could share it with you.
It’s kind of a “Pros and cons” thing, but since I tend to get off-topic easily and babble a lot I’ve divided things in sections,
so you don’t have to read everything should you not want to.
Here it goes - Ubuntu Touch on the Google Nexus 4 (mako).
Installing Ubuntu has always been a pleasant experience for me. It feels open. Feels different. Feels fresh. Feels UBUNTU.
Installing any linux distribution on any PC makes mu blood run like crazy and Ubuntu Touch makes no difference.
It’s exciting to see something new and beautiful done for phones. And it’s even more exciting when you see it’s done with taste.
Now just to be clear – when it comes to Pros and Cons I guess the “Cons” section would be obviously much larger,
but hey: it’s a developers preview of what we should be expecting so I’m willing to suck some things up.
Pros:
1. Design.
Ubuntu Touch feels like Ubuntu in your hand. I just have to say this. I’m not sure if it’s the fonts or the wallpapers or the
transitions or the launch pad on the left or something else that I couldn’t quite grasp and understand,
but the fact is UT feels right. Feels Ubuntu.
2. Screen usage
Almost every other mobile OS has some buttons be it hardware or software (eg. Android’s software buttons on the screen + the 3-dot thingy).
Ubuntu gives you the whole screen to have for yourself and your app. It’s amazing how even the “Contacts” app feels bigger and more open.
3. Docking
I haven’t had the chance to go through the UT docking experience yet. I don’t even know if it’s quite baked yet, but what
I’ve seen on videos and ads is pretty awesome. The very idea of it makes it way cool. Chuck Norris cool.
The vision that one can have his PC in his pocket at all times is nothing but genius.
4. Compatibility
Ubuntu aims to be compatible with lots of devices. Which is good, I guess. I just hope compatibility doesn’t come
at the expense of stability or power management or something else that might come along and present itself as an issue.
5. Stability
I am yet to witness an app to crash or force-close or just close or anything like that.
I do get some strange freezes for a few seconds every now and then though.
Cons:
1. Installation
Installation can present itself to be harsh on someone who know nothing about using the terminal. There was a small step
missing in the installation tutorial which can cause some people to get confused. Mainly people with no
prior unlocking/rooting/flashing ROMs experience.
2. Boot
No boot animation. First time the phone booted it needed quite some time and there wasn’t even a splash screen indicating
something was working. The screen had the backlight on and that was it. No shutdown animation as well. And while we’re
still on the subject: there is no shutdown menu, which was kind of strange – I mean when you hold the power button the
phone just shuts down – no questions asked. I guess that might be good in some situations, but I’d rather have the shutdown menu.
3. Overall performance
Overall performance is laggy. The “use-of-edge” design is pretty neatly thought of, but in real life it need polishing. A LOT of polishing.
Swipes act strange, I move from app to app by accident.. My personal guess is that one can get used to it in a couple days
but the swipes should take a step towards being more intuitive as well.
I didn’t like the fact that the music page doesn’t stream anything, but takes you to the browser and when you hit play on some
hit you’re supposed to hear you get a message that flash is not supported or crashed or something like that. It’s kind of frustrating.
I think a native app should be replacing that page on the home screen real soon.
4. Social media
Neither Facebook nor Twitter have native apps. All you get is a mobile version in the browser. I don’t think it needs further explanation.
I hope both Facebook and Twitter do something about this. I don’t think it’s up to Canonical to make apps for those… or up to the
community for that matter. Anyway. I didn’t see a LinkedIn, Pinterest or any other social platform on the suggested apps, so
I guess I’ll just stop here.
5. Graphical glitches
Sometimes things will shift aside or up and down and text would overlap. It’s not something you can’t live with – a simple swipe one
way or another – fixes it, but I think all would agree it’s not an eye-candy feature. There are a few of these throughout the system.
It’s nothing serious in my opinion, but I couldn’t bring myself to put it in the “Pros” section.
The clock disappeared form everywhere except the clock app. I mean it – everywhere. It’s not on the homescreen,
it’s not in the “notification bar”, it’s nowhere. It happened after I rebooted the device for the first time. Also alarms don’t
seem to be working at all.
//* after a second reboot clock reappeared. Alarms still don’t work though.
Another thing is after picking up a call and finishing it – when you put the phone away from your ear the screen won’t turn on by itself.
That’s kind of odd if you ask me. It’s like it knows I’m saying “goodbye” and saves my battery or something. It’s a minor setback,
but still. I noticed that during the dialing process screen lights up if you take the phone away from your ear. I haven’t read a lot of
UT documentation, so it might be on purpose – I’m just stating what I’ve experienced.
6. Navitagion
Navigation is bad right now, I think. It looks like the OS isn’t sure how to respond to your swipe. Transitions are slow in my opinion.
They should be a tad faster. A major setback is the back button. I mean seriously – how many times do you misclick on something
and want to go right back. Think about it. It’s at least a few times a day. I think the back button should be visible the first few seconds
along with the rest of the app menu – should there be one. Or maybe just put it in the top left corner next to the search. If you think there
is no space – the search can always morph into “just a button” ... Other than that I can’t complain about navigation – it’s pretty neat,
actually. Menus are simple and understandable.
7. Hardware glitches
Everytime I wake my device up my Bluetooth is ON and I need to turn it off manually.
I can’t say I like that at all but considering that is all I have to say about hardware glitches I think it's not that bad.
8. 3G
3G is really important. AND it works! There’s just now way to shut it off.
I mean sure – you can turn off the mobile data, but when it comes to choosing whether to use 3G or 2G Networks Only – you don’t really have a choice.
You’re stuck with 3G and all the disadvantages that come with it as well as the advantages.
//* We all know what happens to your battery when using 3G and I’m the kind of guy that doesn’t like to turn his mobile data ON and OFF all the time – it just stays enabled all the time and saves me whole lotta thinking. Not having the choice of switching back to “2G networks only” sends you straight in hell in terms of battery life.
9. Syncing
Since I’m obviously new to Ubuntu Touch I just recently started using Ubuntu One, but my gosh! Syncing contacts with Google is a
real pain in the ass. Since the Gmail app is not a native app, but a HTML5 client instead, syncing appears to be impossible at this point.
Users are forced to hook their devices up to a PC running Ubuntu and write a bunch of commands in the terminal over and over again,
since syncing only works for no more than 50 contacts at a time. That being said I have over 600 so I had to run the damn thing 12 times
in a row. Aside from that should you choose to add a new contact it won’t sync with Google automatically and upload your new contact
into the cloud where you can have access to it at anytime.
//*Note: AFAIK: iOS, WM and Android have pretty easy ways to sync contacts with Google. I think this is one of the things the guys at Canonical should focus on. Slick mail application and neat contacts syncing is vital to a lot of people and is a major reason why they never switch phones.
Final thoughts:
Ubuntu Touch aims to deliver something different and really special to consumers: a PC inside a phone. I think what they are truly
missing here is an app store of some kind. The OS suggests apps but I couldn't see an app for that and I'm guessing that is somewhat of a
setback as well. They’ve been doing really well and while for now the “Cons” section is significantly larger than the “Pros”
I have hope and faith that Canonical will pull this off eventually.
Aside from the hard installation and the lack of an eye-candy boot animation… and maybe some other minor tickles - the OS looks
and feels nice and really pretty in the palm of one’s hand. They still have a lot of work to do if they ever want to catch up with Android or iOS
in terms of usability, syncing, MTP and other stuff that average consumers don’t know and don’t need to worry about but would miss a lot.
If you don’t don't mind the fact it’s a developers preview and the camera doesn’t always start off properly and you have to shut it down and run it again it’s pretty impressive!
Conclusion:
There are a lot of words one can use to describe Ubuntu Touch, but in my opinion the high order bid is “Inspiring”.
Yes, there are some glitches here and there. There is a lot to do. But after seeing it and touching it with my own eyes and fingers well…
I have to say this – I am thrilled and I can’t hardly wait to see what will they make of it.
littlegreen said:
Yes, there are some glitches here and there. There is a lot to do. But after seeing it and touching it with my own eyes and fingers well…
I have to say this – I am thrilled and I can’t hardly wait to see what will they make of it.
[/I]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Honestly, i think this is nothing new and nothing special ;/.
UPD: The problem is your article is too generalised, viewing stuff too objectively. Your article must show your personal opinion and vision on stuff, more than boring facts.
And don't use Pros/Cons style, when it's all about cons, not pros. Just don't.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
reqmon said:
Honestly, i think this is nothing new and nothing special ;/.
UPD: The problem is your article is too generalised, viewing stuff too objectively. Your article must show your personal opinion and vision on stuff, more than boring facts.
And don't use Pros/Cons style, when it's all about cons, not pros. Just don't.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well since I only have a few hours of experiencing the OS I don't think generalising is an option per say.
Besides - I am an optimist. I try to see the good in everything and that is why I have the "Pros" list. Thanks for the advice though.
well i find your review interesting to learn about the basics of ubuntu
Can you report about the battery performance?
So being very new to Glass (only got it on Wednesday 25/06) it is my understanding that the firmware after 16 disabled the 'normal' control via the touched? So versions after this are only capable of back and scroll?
Is there anyway of configuring a program like Remodriod or Tablet Remote so you can use the controls from your phone on Glass? Might sound silly as you could just say use your phone for what your doing but I was more thinking of using it to control the likes of YouTube so I log in and obtain my play lists, also it would stop the need to plug in for control via ADB, for which as a newbie to ADB I'm struggling with commands.
I was playing around with Remodriod and it asked me to set the input in Language and input, for which it didn't pop up like it did on my phone, I assume it is because there is no native option for this on Glass and therefore couldn't obtain the screen for it? Would I need to install the language and input options? Of so where can I get it from?
Has anyone else tried this idea?
Regards
Giles
GiGoVX said:
So being very new to Glass (only got it on Wednesday 25/06) it is my understanding that the firmware after 16 disabled the 'normal' control via the touched? So versions after this are only capable of back and scroll?
Is there anyway of configuring a program like Remodriod or Tablet Remote so you can use the controls from your phone on Glass? Might sound silly as you could just say use your phone for what your doing but I was more thinking of using it to control the likes of YouTube so I log in and obtain my play lists, also it would stop the need to plug in for control via ADB, for which as a newbie to ADB I'm struggling with commands.
I was playing around with Remodriod and it asked me to set the input in Language and input, for which it didn't pop up like it did on my phone, I assume it is because there is no native option for this on Glass and therefore couldn't obtain the screen for it? Would I need to install the language and input options? Of so where can I get it from?
Has anyone else tried this idea?
Regards
Giles
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm glad you've done your research, it gets old telling people the same things over and over again.
As you mentioned, there was a time where you could easily control most apps with the touchpad, but that functionality has since been removed. Besides, there was no way to enter text without some sort of remote; many people managed to use bluetooth keyboards to achieve this, and the combination worked quite well.
In XE16, Google apparently decided that they wanted to make a clear distinction between Glass and Android controls. Apps that don't implement the Glass-specific gesture listeners can't be controlled at all. Even native Android popup windows don't allow you to choose which button you want to select (even if the Languages and Input popup did show up on Glass, you couldn't select the button).
So here we are today, either using the stripped-down, masked version of Android that Google gives us, or fumbling with ADB commands attempting to get that one video on YouTube to play. But there is hope yet. Google gives us rooted boot images, presumably hoping that we will show them something that they haven't done themselves. This tiny 5.5MB file opens up a ton of possibilities, but someone needs to be the middle man that brings these possibilities to the masses.
Thanks to the beauty of open source, we have a clear model of what needs to be done for Glass to work like so many people wish it would.
Port a working recovery image to flash zips to the Glass system folder (Done)
Modify Superuser to function properly given Glass's limited control set
Modify XposedInstaller in the same manner
I have a proof-of-concept Xposed module for Glass that lets me control the Netflix app with the touchpad. It's dirty, and it takes a lot of work to get working, but the concept is solid. Xposed is an incredibly powerful utility. The end goal is to create a Glass-oriented keyboard (think oldschool arcade video game high score screens - "Enter Your Initials").
While my goal is solid and my intentions are pure, I worry that there is a reason Google didn't do this to begin with.
TLDR; I'm working on it.
Many thanks for the response, so the short answer is no. That's a big shame and I hope I haven't just wasted 1k on a peice of eyewear that needs charging halfway thru the day!
I assume there is no way of going back to version 16?
I think it's strange how little development there is with Glass on XDA (I could be wrong but if you look at the likes of the smart watches there seems to be considerably more development) and how inactive this part of the forum seems? considering the idea and in my eyes (no pun intended) cool Glass is hence why I ordered mine as soon as I could here in the uk, so far I haven't met anyone with one, and I'm still getting some strange looks lol
The things that are possible with Glass are amazing. Really wish they had added a rear facing camera, eyes in the back of my head, no, but I can see behind me lol
I am eager to see your work and I will experiment on trying to build your xposed modules (never tried building an apk before) no harm in learning on what is probably the most expensive peice of tech I own lol
GiGoVX said:
Many thanks for the response, so the short answer is no. That's a big shame and I hope I haven't just wasted 1k on a peice of eyewear that needs charging halfway thru the day!
I assume there is no way of going back to version 16?
I think it's strange how little development there is with Glass on XDA (I could be wrong but if you look at the likes of the smart watches there seems to be considerably more development) and how inactive this part of the forum seems? considering the idea and in my eyes (no pun intended) cool Glass is hence why I ordered mine as soon as I could here in the uk, so far I haven't met anyone with one, and I'm still getting some strange looks lol
The things that are possible with Glass are amazing. Really wish they had added a rear facing camera, eyes in the back of my head, no, but I can see behind me lol
I am eager to see your work and I will experiment on trying to build your xposed modules (never tried building an apk before) no harm in learning on what is probably the most expensive peice of tech I own lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't say I'm surprised by the lack of activity. Rooting Glass voids the warranty, and with the high price in addition to so many reported issues, not many people are willing to take that risk at the moment.
If you want to get touch controls back, then you'll need to flash down to XE12. See https://developers.google.com/glass/tools-downloads/system. Please be sure to read any warnings and notices. XE12 still doesn't have many options for keyboard input, but you'll have better luck than using XE16+.
Also, the strange looks won't be going away any time soon
jtxdriggers said:
I can't say I'm surprised by the lack of activity. Rooting Glass voids the warranty, and with the high price in addition to so many reported issues, not many people are willing to take that risk at the moment.
If you want to get touch controls back, then you'll need to flash down to XE12. See https://developers.google.com/glass/tools-downloads/system. Please be sure to read any warnings and notices. XE12 still doesn't have many options for keyboard input, but you'll have better luck than using XE16+.
Also, the strange looks won't be going away any time soon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The really frustrating thing with my Glass is that I'm still waiting for Google to get back to me about the 'split framed' version they should of sent me instead of the current standard version I have!
I requested a call from Google shortly after I received them asking the above question but they couldn't find my order, sure enough they have taken my money but can't find my order number, nor my Gmail address or the serial number for my Glass device! A little concerning that Google of all people couldn't find my info! I'm still waiting for an email back 3 days later! Longest Google search in history lol
Edit: Sorry, I had to remove this app when it was brought to my attention recently and I found it was NOT the appI had thought it was :-( It does NOT display properly on the NST/G. Still looking for the one I remember and if I find it I will update this post.
I stumbled across a brief reference to this app buried in another thread from long ago and thought I'd bring it back into the light. Market apps for crossword puzzles seldom work well on the NST, many of them having issues with partially disappearing keyboards.
The app attached below is actually from the Nook Color! It installs and runs just fine on the NST (probably NSTG as well). It has a nice, clean UI--with a custom keyboard that doesn't disappear. Puzzles can be selected by difficulty level.
The drawback: there seems to be no way to get more puzzles. But for casual use, it's great--and the price is right
This app appears to work on the Glowlight Plus also. However, it seems to be pixel mapped, so it appears very small on the higher resolution screen.
are there any services that generate hints?
Great idea! I will gladly support any effort to port/fork/customize/make such app better.
On my Glow3...
Renate said:
On my Glow3...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've actually learned a few things since my original post (shocking!). Just a cursory inspection of the apk file reveals the stored puzzles in res/raw. There appear to be 100 of them and they are actually in a known format (.puz)!
I've not tried adding anything yet (it's probably not that simple), but here is a site with lots of information about obtaining .puz files for use in Across Lite (a puzzle creating and solving platform): https://communicrossings.com/crosswords-sources-web-sites
Maybe I'll pursue this. I do actually have a very old Crossword app that works well across all my devices and can download new puzzles daily from a variety of sources. I don't even recall where I got it but it has clearly been "modified" in some fashion by someone. Most features work on the NST except for updating the list of puzzle sources. For some reason this fails on the NST although it works on other devices. Probably an SSL issue. But as there are quite a few sources in the "old" list, it's fine for the NST where I don't generally spend a lot of time doing puzzles. But it's there when I need a break from reading or just idle entertainment waiting in a doctor's office, etc.
Edit: I lied. There are actually 189 puzzles (easy, medium, hard, themeless).
nmyshkin said:
I've actually learned a few things since my original post (shocking!). Just a cursory inspection of the apk file reveals the stored puzzles in res/raw. There appear to be 100 of them and they are actually in a known format (.puz)!
I've not tried adding anything yet (it's probably not that simple), but here is a site with lots of information about obtaining .puz files for use in Across Lite (a puzzle creating and solving platform): https://communicrossings.com/crosswords-sources-web-sites
Maybe I'll pursue this. I do actually have a very old Crossword app that works well across all my devices and can download new puzzles daily from a variety of sources. I don't even recall where I got it but it has clearly been "modified" in some fashion by someone. Most features work on the NST except for updating the list of puzzle sources. For some reason this fails on the NST although it works on other devices. Probably an SSL issue. But as there are quite a few sources in the "old" list, it's fine for the NST where I don't generally spend a lot of time doing puzzles. But it's there when I need a break from reading or just idle entertainment waiting in a doctor's office, etc.
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Is the crossword app that works across all of your devices same as the one attached to the first post of this thread? You have my support in doing this man. We think similar in approaching the problem. I would also have started from the file type and then go further. I need to look up that platform and attached link. Say if you need any help with this. I need to check crosswords in my language and is there any available site to download them. It might be futile effort for NST without keyboard change. As for SSL problem it starts to be such pain in the a$$ that someone is going to lose patience and find the way to solve it by programming or find the way to obfuscate it through NST as dashboard and any newer phone as server for example. That was also one of the approaches I proposed for missing GPS. Now I rarely need GPS on NST however making it better in terms of book and newspaper device I am all for it.
SJT75 said:
Is the crossword app that works across all of your devices same as the one attached to the first post of this thread?
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No, that app of questionable origin is different.
SJT75 said:
You have my support in doing this man. We think similar in approaching the problem. I would also have started from the file type and then go further. I need to look up that platform and attached link. Say if you need any help with this. I need to check crosswords in my language and is there any available site to download them. It might be futile effort for NST without keyboard change. As for SSL problem it starts to be such pain in the a$$ that someone is going to lose patience and find the way to solve it by programming or find the way to obfuscate it through NST as dashboard and any newer phone as server for example. That was also one of the approaches I proposed for missing GPS. Now I rarely need GPS on NST however making it better in terms of book and newspaper device I am all for it.
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I started to look at this and got a couple of surprises. First, on initialization the app creates one binary file in the data folder. That's all. So any puzzle substitution/updating would have to be done by taking the app apart and then putting it back together with apktool. Not very convenient, but I suppose if you did a good number of puzzles at once it might be worthwhile.
However the real surprise was looking at the app running. It's nothing like I remember! So I'm not sure what I'm looking at now. Maybe I've got yet another crossword app among my files. Better download from the earlier post and see... Although the package does say com.encore.crossword. But the short of it is that the app I was looking at is a no-go on the NST. The puzzles are half-hidden behind the keyboard and no amount of persuasion in either word or gesture (rude or not) will convince the puzzle to scroll up.
Edit: nope, it's the same app I posted earlier in this thread so long ago. It seems impossible but there it is. I wouldn't have posted it if I had seen how it was bolluxed up on the NST. I have no explanation.
Huh. Your 15 x 15 looks better than mine.
I did a once over trying to fix the app.
I chopped down the keyboard a bunch.
Still, the whole layout is a mess.
Renate said:
Huh. Your 15 x 15 looks better than mine.
I did a once over trying to fix the app.
I chopped down the keyboard a bunch.
Still, the whole layout is a mess.
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Yeah, I did a little fiddling but could not convince it to show the entire grid as accessible along with the keyboard. It really must be coded just for the Nook Color/Tablet display.
I am baffled as to its appearance. I am getting older, but its nothing at all like I remember. I never would have posted if it had looked that way when I first tried it. But its definitely an app from the Nook Color, that much is evident from the package name. Just a mystery.
From little bit I have read about this ancient version of Android what nmyshkin reported about behavior of the application led me to believe that is developed as NDK app. I believe it is easier to make new app starting from scratch if you gathered enough knowledge about that crosswords file type and if download sources are not behind paywall. I would start with calculating size of standard on screen keyboard and then put rest of the screen for use by the crossword. It might be little small that way although but if field input is letter sized from some regular NST font I believe it can be squeezed. Other option might be that you do not make keyboard input at all but select input square and then use gesture in input field resembling writing. You would also need erase button. Then you would have more space for crossword but had to program input interface for the app. IIRC Opera does support gestures so maybe you could get the idea how to make that interface there.
Since the thread contain nonworking app can we consider it as place for discussion about either rigging that one or finding or developing new one for NST?
You already mentioned modified keyboard so I guess changing crossword layout is not out of question too. I didn't check .puz file type so obviously I have no idea about it but I did skim little through the site nmyshkin posted here. There are also other options there so it might be good to consider them also. Firstly using browser with JS woodoo. I do not know much about that but I have gained an impression you have previously make some good stuff using similar approach. Second option is using .PDF file type for puzzles. It might work considering that NST have some limited PDF reflow ability. Maybe that can allow us to adjust crossword layout? Problem is that it seems like it is slightly abandoned file format for puzzles although it was possible to have even interactive ones in that format. Can"t say what the term interactive means. Hint, letter reveals or something else. If it means connection to a server on net that will most likely be to big bite for old NST in the future.
Just a stray thought inside puzzle letters shown are real letter font used on NST or pictures generated in app?
Looked little about crossword file format. It seems that .puz is albeit old and easier to view/change using tools as simple as Notepad somehow proprietary. On the other hand it is claimed that .jpz is more versatile but even if it is so it seems to be some hybrid between Java and XML.There is also third format .ipuz that is completely free but as I understand it is originally for Mac which I do not have. Now if I delve into this what is the opinion of others? Consider it as a poll. 1, 2 or 3?
The New York Times apparently uses .puz
I'd give that some weight.
NYT links to this download: https://www.litsoft.com/across/alite/download/index.html
That file format seems to be (mostly) documented here: https://code.google.com/archive/p/puz/wikis/FileFormat.wiki
It could be edited by hand but there are binary parts and checksums.
Edit: Well, I take that all back. NYT (just yesterday!) stated that they are dropping .puz format.
NYT Games No Longer Available on Across Lite as of Aug. 10 (Published 2021)
Starting next week, we will no longer provide downloadable .puz files.
www.nytimes.com
I understand that up until now adoption by influential publisher (which regularly paid to owner of file format for software and rights to use) kept .puz in game. Format is simple and already have been reverse engineered by others which irked rights owner to the point of threatening with lawsuits left and right. They should have invested more in development of format and software instead. Second format .jpz is supposedly better but had so far lagged in adoption on the market.
Ha, ha!
Cross words over New York Times puzzle change
The US-based publication is cutting third party support for its popular crossword puzzles.
www.bbc.com
Well I can anticipate two things. First its a good time to start torrent search for old crosswords files archives. Second is that I believe we can find alternative sources on the link nmyshkin posted earlier. Still that doesn't resolve dilemma which file type is a way to go. Based on previous statement Rennate made on other topic I presume she would like .ipuz as open and free standard.
Just a link to share. If someone need old crosswords it appears someone already had made a database. link
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Kodijack said:
I took a good search and haven't found a single app that is just like a screensaver, desktop or a clock. 99% of apps are music and navigation.
Hard to believe no one thought of a generic "desktop"-app with widgets or whatever. Especially with coolwalk it could be really nice.
But maybe you guys know something like this and my searching just sucked?
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Hmmm... I can't understand what you wrote and what you are looking for, although I've been using android for 12 years. Even if it involves AA.
Please could you expand your description?
Now I understand your message as a regret that there is no revolution in the field of development of Head Units.
I don't think that will happen soon. Development will evolve.
The priority when driving is the safety of all users of the road and its surroundings.
I think that the plan for the development of the head unit is written out in stages, which require the achievement of so much development of protection measures while driving that the driver's inattention and distraction cannot be the cause of anyone's danger.
Currently, head units are deliberately poor in functions so that they can be simple to use and not distract the driver from his primary task: safe driving.
I think fiddling with the phone and projecting an image onto the head unit screen or vice versa, and focusing attention on widgets and other bits and pieces that phones have, can only be safe if passengers do it.
Google only allows certain apps on Android Auto.
Normally navigation, communication and music apps.
It's just a question if Google allows a clock app. I'm pretty sure that there were already people with this idea.