Apparently what “the Google” gives, “the Google” can take away. Recently Android was being lauded for adding additional privacy controls to Android 4.3+, allowing users to install apps while denying some of the apps’ attempts to collect the user’s data. This feature was accessible by installing a tool like App Ops Launcher (pictured above.) However, […]
Category Archives: Android
OpenXC automotive API for Android
“OpenXC is an API to your car – by installing a small hardware module to read and translate metrics from a car’s internal network, the data becomes accessible from most Android applications using the OpenXC library. You can start making vehicle-aware applications that have better interfaces based on context, can minimize distraction while driving, are […]
Blackhat presentation slides: Android master key
Bluebox CTO, Jeff Forristal’s presentation slide package entitled “Android: One Root to Own Them All” about his research that uncovered the Android Master Key is now available. This presentation is a case study showcasing the technical details of Android security bug 8219321, disclosed to Google in February 2013. The vulnerability involves discrepancies in how Android […]
CxemCAR 2 – Android controlled RC car with video, Bluetooth, WiFi
Johnik has developed the CxemCAR2 project for controlling an RC car using WiFi and Bluetooth. “On the Internet there are many articles on the use of RC cars with IP or Web-based camera. But most of them used a laptop or an internal router with Open-WRT or DD-WRT firmware. Viewing of the video and control […]
Ford Mustang haptic feedback shift knob using OpenXC
The Haptic Feedback Shift Knob is a replacement for a manual transmission shift knob that adds haptic and visual feedback to help drivers shift appropriately. An Android application monitors the vehicle’s speed, RPM and accelerator pedal position. Based on this information, the application calculates and then indicates to the driver when he or she should […]
Getting started with Bluetooth Smart for Android 4.3 “Jelly Bean”
Android recently released version 4.3 of their “Jelly Bean” OS which includes support for Bluetooth Smart. TI has posted a how to page on getting started with Bluetooth Smart for Android 4.3.
Android phone used as Arduino GSM shield
Kerimil has made a new video on how to interface arduino boards with Android devices using MIT app inventor and Bluetooth. This time it focuses on using the phone as a GSM shield. “I used texting functionality which let’s you use GSM on the phone to send and receive text messages. So if you ever […]
Bus Pirate makes life easier
M2M writes: First off, you guys Rock! I have had so much productive fun with BP and I just got it a few days ago. Here is a little thing I did to make a project weigh less. When you are prototyping GPS M2M you don’t always want to carry your laptop outside to get […]
Andruino: A simple 2-way bluetooth-based Android controller for Arduino
TechBitar wrote this Instructable detailing his ANDRUINO, the 2-way Android controller for Arduino via bluetooth: ANDRUINO is a simple tool to help you control your Arduino (or clone) from your Android phone. It’s both an Android app and an Arduino program. Andruino has a simple Android user interface to 1) control Arduino’s digital and PWM […]
A20-OLinuXino DualCore Cortex-A7 prototype update
Tsvetan writes to update us on the status of the A20-OLinuXino. They now have their A20-OLinuXino DualCore Cortex-A7 prototypes working fine using Allwinner’s double core A20 which is almost pin to pin compatible with A10. For more info visit the OLinuXino webpage. General information on the open source software and hardware OLinuXino can be found […]
PiPurr remote cat interaction server
When the cats away, the mice will play. But…. what’s the cat doing when YOU’RE away? That question led Tris of CantHack, a group of geeks from Canterbury, UK, to develop PiPurr. Tris explains, “PiPurr is a simple client-server solution. The server runs on a Raspberry Pi, for low power consumption and provides the functionality […]
ChameleonOS open source Android ROM
The ChameleonOS dev group has posted the latest version of their open source ROMS for Android devices. They describe: Chameleon OS (or ChaOS for short) is a custom Android ROM that gives the user more control than they can experience on any other Android ROM. Starting with a CyanogenMOD base, we customize each piece to […]
SDR Touch Android app for RTL-SDR
Here’s an app which purports to turn your radio equipped Android device into a SDR. It called SDR Touch and is available for free download from the developer’s website. According to the developers, its designed to work with the familiar RTL-SDR dongles, and Android 3.1 and up. According to the developer Martin Marinov the app: […]
Google guys develop lawn irrigation system with Android and Arduino
Google engineers J.J Barrons and Joe Fernandez have developed this lawn irrigation system. Dubbed Irrduino it uses Android, Ardiuno, Python, Dart and the Google App Engine. The project hardware details can be found on JoesHacks blog. The source code can be downloaded from Google code. The files include an Arduino based controller using an Android […]
Controlling Arduino via Android mobile device
Kerimil over at Arduino forum posted this simple how to on controlling an Arduino board with an Android mobile device. He describes, “The circuit is just a Bluetooth module, Arduino UNO, LED, resistor and some wires. The LED can be switched on using buttons as well as voice activation (anything that contains the word ‘on’,’off’ […]
Bluetooth MSP430 tank
Here’s an interesting and fun use of the MSP430 and your Android phone: robotic tank control. This project by Mike adds a Bluetooth transceiver module MSP430 and mounts this along with a motor drive booster pack and battery on a toy tank from Pololu.com. He says, “All in all, a fun project where I learned […]
Another tiny Linux box
Odrioid is yet another tiny board capable of running Linux or Android. It’s only 48mm x 52mm, yet it features a 1.7 GHz quad core Cortex A9 processor, the Mali-400 quad core GPU, and 2 GBs of DDR2. Unfortunately there are no GPIO pins, so interfacing with it has to be done through 2 USB […]
Nexus 7 dock teardown
Anton Gorbunov did a teardown of his Nexus 7 dock and discovered that there are only some passive components on the PCB. He notes that with some pogopins it should be easy to make your own Dock. Via the contact form.
Ouya game dev CREATE contest
The Ouya is a soon to be released $99 gaming console. It was funded in August, 2012 via Kickstarter to the tune of $8+ million, and hardware should be shipping starting in April. The console is based on Android Jelly Bean and includes a Tegra3 quad-core processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal flash storage, HDMI […]
Ford’s OpenXC vehicle data bus interface project
At the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Ford announced their OpenXC project, a combination of open source hardware and software that lets you extend your vehicle with custom applications and pluggable modules. It uses standard, well-known tools to open up data from the vehicle to developers. The OpenXC team explains, “OpenXC is an API to […]