Saturday, November 10, 2012

Top 5 Flying Car-esque Android Gadgets You Wish Existed (and their closest real life equivalents!)



We’re not unreasonable people. As official citizens of the future, we have just a few things that we absolutely have to have in order to not cry shenanigans on science for cheating us out of the gadgets we deserve for our future citizenship. Oh, and we also want to do it all on Android, because why not right?

Well we might not have all of these things yet exactly, but there are a few equivalent gadgets on Android that can get kind of close sometimes-


5) Replicator




On Star Trek, Picard would always go this replicator, say “Earl Gray, Hot” and presto-the device would just make it for him seemingly out of thin air. Just imagine if you could fire up the “Replicator” app on your Android, wait for the little mic icon to come on, and then say something like “Money, lots of it.” Then money would just shoot out of a slot on the top. Or, in a slightly less economy destroying move, maybe you’d say “A new house!” and bricks would then start flying everywhere in ordered chaos around you.






Here’s a start to the dream anyway:

The 3D Printer

Example- (Makerdroid-)

So this won’t let you actually print anything you want, like money, or food. And you need access to a 3D printer, such as at a college lab, for it to work. But you can draw anything you want on the Android app, and the app will let you use a 3D printer to print it out on a three dimensional medium- like wood. Essentiallly, you dream it up, and science gives you a real object, just like that.

It’s not quite getting tea from nothing, but hey, we’re getting there right? And quick side note- scientists are using 3D technology printers right now to experiment with doing stuff like actually printing out human organs for transplants, so maybe Earl Gray, Hot- isn’t as impossible as we might think.


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4) X-Ray Glasses





Why not right? You could just activate the camera on your phone, click the “X-ray” button, which would be like right next to “low lighting” and then look around and look right through walls. Why would you need to do this? 


Because it’d be awesome.







How about-Google Glasses-

These are like an Android phone except on your face. They aren't available to consumers yet, but soon.

No, these won’t let you perv out looking under people’s clothing, (come on X-rays don’t work like that anyway), but just think what you could do with them? For example, you could use a public camera phone app to look in the direction of a building, switch to the camera app, and then see live video of what's inside. It'd be exactly like being able to see right through the walls. And even better than that, you could monitor a bunch of different ones all at the same time, all live in your glasses vision. And if you can't wait, there are other options as well. Such as these cool wrap-arounds-Vuzix Wrap 920 Video Eyewear which I desperately want myself.

***

3) Holographic Assistant






So you press a button, and bam, standing before you is a holographic person, ready to do whatever mundane activities you’re too busy playing video games to do. You know, like call your mother, take out the trash, stitch you up from laser burns, you know basic stuff.






Close Enough?

Android Voice Assistant-If you haven’t  yet, you should meet EVA. It’s a loose equivalent of Evi for the iPhone, and it is the closest the world has to offer currently for your very own artificially intelligent computer assistant. You can hit a button on your bluetooth, and just ask it questions directly, or have it schedule meetings, set alarms, activate phone calls, and a hundred other things. Finally, a slice of the future that isn’t lame.

***

2) Sonic Screw Driver App


Your phone is pocket sized right? And it can do… frequencies, and stuff. So why can’t you use it just like a sonic screwdriver from Doctor Who? You know-any time you encounter a locked door, lights that needed turning on or off, or really any other electronic wizadry, just whip out your uh, gadget, and one whirring noise and a blue LED light flash later, presto it makes stuff work. No uncouth walking across the room to flick a light switch, or actually knocking on a door for you! You’re from the future.

While obviously the phrase “sonic screwdriver” makes about as much sense as “magnetic hammer,” there’s got to due the same kind of interfacing with another gadget right, like your Android phone. Imagine firing up the apps on your Android and click on “Sonic Screwdriver.” How cool would that be right?

This actually exists- OK, it’s not really the same. You have to do a bunch of set up and get the right equipment and all that- and you can’t just magic on gadgets you don’t own willy nilly like in the show- but come on, details.

The point is, SmartLinc will make you feel like a techno wizard. You need to use it in connection with Insteon devices listed on the SmartLinc site- but if you do, you can control your home entertainment, remote cameras, lights, and anything else Insteon compatible with just a click from you phone. And if you have a fetish for unlocking doors, there’s a comparable app called Lockitron.You can also pretend to be a techno weather wizard with a wireless thermostat like this one- Nest Learning Thermostat - 2nd Generation T200577



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1) Portable Flying Car


Jetpack aside, it’s practically the biggest anthem of futurism detractors- “Where’s my damn flying car already?!”

The Jetsons had a suitcase that could turn into a flying car, so why not an Android app? Just imagine you push a button on your phone, and it transforms into a giant metal flying car that looks like an oversize Android phone! You'd get out of that traffic jam then, for sure.





Closest Thing

Zipcar-While you can’t quite create a car from your Android, or summon one, how about summoning a normal car? No matter where you are, once you sign up for Zipcar you can trot down or get a ride from a local buddy to a zipcar, drive where you need to go, and then “unsummon” it by bringing it back to its original location.

Not quite as good as carrying it around in a suitcase, I admit, but you will seriously fee like you are made of pure science magic when you approach a car you reserved on your phone, and then unlock the doors by pressing a button right from the Android app. Not quite a remote control car-summoning power, but pretty close, you have to admit.

But I want a flying car.

Easy there, Mcfly. One thing I should say is that insting on a flying car is kind of like insisting on a submarine train. Think about that for a second, do you find yourself pining for a submarine that can leap out of the ocean, and then run on railroad tracks? This is kind of like what you’re saying when talking about a “flying” car. So my question is-

Why? You have a car, you have planes, why does it have to do both?

But OK, OK. You win. If you just want something that can go from place A to place B in the air without messing around with landing runways-how about a personal helicopter? It’ll only set you back 100k, and you don’t even have to wait for red lights. 

Saturday, October 27, 2012

How to Make Your Own Android Apps Without Coding (Sorta)



Have you ever thought to yourself- "Self, I wish my phone could do X."

Then maybe you got into a conversation with yourself and it might go something like this-

YOU: "But my phone doesn't do X."

ALSO YOU: "Well, have you tried look for X-doing app on the Internet?"

YOU: "Yes, there's nothing. Apparently X just isn't cool enough for anyone to make an Android app about it.

ALSO YOU: "Well self, you know who IS cool enough? YOU."

And then you might say to yourself, "But I don't program!"

In which case you should say to yourself-

"That's what we have smart actions."

***

One of the greatest new built-in apps for ICS on Android is Smart Actions. This is an app that lets you add new "rules" to control how your phone works.

So, here's you go about making a smart action. You should figure out what sort of smart action you want to make first. You can browse the various possibilities in smart actions, but if you go in with an idea of what you want, it will go smoother.

Here's an example:

How to Make a Calendar Alarm "App" (Smart Acton)




The standard calendar app on Android is pretty terrible. There are other apps that are good and add new features, but I have yet to find one that will play music for you when an event is happening. In ICS anyway,when you have an appointment coming up, all you get is a pathetic little icon popping up at the top of the screen.

This isn't very helpful when you have got to be somewhere. So what can you do if you can't find another app to do something for you? Well, you make your own android app (sorta).

Step 1-   

Open "Smart Actions" on your Android phone. This is an app that lets you make "rules" that function similar to the way an app does. Click on "Apps" on your phone's home screen, then select it from the list there.


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Step 2

Click on the plus sign in the top right corner of the app, and then select "Blank rule" from the dropdown list.



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Step 3


Hit the "+" sign next to where it says "Triggers." Here is where you'll add your trigger-the event that makes the smart action activate. In this case, it will be a calendar event that you really can't miss. Like your funeral! Just kidding.


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Step 4

Select the trigger you want. In this case, "Calendar Events" is the right one. But feel free to experiment with others. Such as "headphones" if you want the action to trigger as soon as you insert headphones, for example.





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Step 5


Change any settings you want to in Calendar. The default is for the action to be triggered any time you have any calendar event happen. You can click "View Matching events" to make sure the events you want will go off. Click "done" int he top right to add the trigger.



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Step 6


Back in  the main screen, click on the "+" symbol next to "Actions. Select your actions from the list. For example, if you want to play music when you have a calendar event to go to, select "Play a playlist" from the list. It's the one with the right facing arrow. You can also scroll down a bit and select the "open app" option. You could make your action start up a radio station like Pandora, for example. Or alternatively, some kind of light app that fires off dizzying disco ball lights that tells you it's time to go visit the Optomologist. 



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Step 7


 Type in a name for your rule where it says "New rule." Then click "Save." Your rule is now active and you'll be reminded to go to all of your appointments from now on. What better way to remember to go to voice lessons than having "Gangnam Style" belt out from you trusty phone?















Thursday, August 30, 2012

How to Cure Google Maps of Multiple Personality Disorder (or How to Change the Android Voice)



If you've upgraded your Android in the past few months you may have noticed that the little person who lives in your phone and reads all of your mail and tells you where to go in Google maps has well-

You know, Gone insane.

 See, there are two voices now.One is a perky young woman, and the other sounds like how the young woman might sound after she has turned into a zombie.So at this point you might be asking really good questions like:

What in the name of the great Metal Robot Lord is going on?

So here we go:

I have not even the slightest idea. Though some forums have suggested it’s a glitch that happens when the voice switches from navigation to the text to speech voice.
BUT- (wait, don’t leave, Androids with MPD are still good! Also-)

You don’t need to know any of those things to fix it.

There are three options for changing the voice. The first is a basic option that can be used to change to built-in voice. This is also the option that’s needed to change the voice in general, after you've downloaded some of the other options.


Changing the Voice in Android (including without apps)


1- Hit the menu button on your Android phone and select “System Settings.” You’ll get this screen-

























2-Click where it says “Language & input.” Click “Text to Speech output.”
























3- Select your voice engine and click the gear.” If all you have is the Google one, then you can still change the voice by clicking on the gear next to the entry. Click on “Language,” and then select a new Language. If you want to keep it English but with a different voice, try the “United Kingdom” one for a British accent. Otherwise click on any other engine you have installed and follow the prompts to choose a new voice.























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SVOX


SVOX is an Android voice app that you can try out for free. By clicking on each voice in the app you can select "Listen to a Sample," "Buy this voice," or "Get a Free Trial." The Android app will then let you try out individual voices.

Voices -

“Michael”-The sample of the voice has it reading out a canned line about how natural sounding it is. This line sounds roughly like this- “My naaaaammmm es Michkeeeyalll and I-have-a NAT-you-RAL VOICE.” It really sounds just like some guy sounding: roughly the way you might sound, if you’d ran head first into a wall, and then I handed you a canned script to read.

“Benny”-You know those helium balloons you had as a kid? Well Benny sounds like Michael simply wandered over to a carnival tent, took his fill of a helium balloon and then went to town on the script. If you want your navigation instructions read to you by a voice that sounds like a chipmunk on speed, then this is the voice for you.

Dark Lord”-This time Michael is reading his canned lines by saying them into a water jug. This is like one of those cheap voice changer toys you might find at Toys R Us. Fake five dollar voice effects sure are scary!

“Ghost”-This time “Michael “has got himself one of those big square fans and is reading his self-proclaimed “natural” sounding voice directly through it, making it sound full of vibration.




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IVONA


IVONA is an Android app with high quality voices available for free during its BETA stage, which is happening right now. You can click on the play button on the right side of each voice to hear a sample of that voice.


Voices -

Kendra- This one is OK, but kind of underwhelming.

Amy-Amy has a proper sounding British accent, and it really does sound natural as far as I can tell, and oddly enough it sounds even clearer and easier to understand than the American English one to my ears. Warning- It’s never safe to suddenly snapped to attention, salute and say “Yes mum!” while driving.

Gwyneth(English)- Gwyneth has an exotic sounding voice to a US English speaker, but I have a feeling I’d be driving around, Gwyneth would give a direction and I’d think- “Wow! That was so cool sounding! Now what the heck did she just say?”

Others- The Australian one- Nicole sounds fine, as for the others- well they aren’t in English so I can’t really comment. Important Note- Just because a voice says “U.S.” doesn’t mean that it’s in English. Make sure it actually says “English” under the name. Having “U.S” can just mean the voice is speaking a foreign language with an American accent. An example of this is Penelope. So in conclusion, if you want to confuse the heck out of yourself and all of your friends, and never actually find the road your looking for, feel free to set your android voice to a foreign language.

Always Awesome-The voices in the app really do sound natural, at least to my ears. Also, maybe at some point they will add "Klingon." Awesome! Then the voice will probably say something like "If you do not turn left at Happy Road, you have no honor." But seriously though- these voices are a major upgrade over the default Google one.

Never Cool- I'm not sure how long the Beta will last. The coolness ratio will likely go down in direct proportion to just how short the Beta period is, and exponentially compared to how hmuch the final apps cost to use.