Android apps by Richard Green

Barcode Beasties

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:01:50 +0000

-- To understand what we use the permissions for, scroll to the bottom of this section --

Re last comment "Got an ad in my notification bar from the game!" - we use the notification bar when you are playing multiplayer to tell you about your battles - sorry if that wasn't obvious (they ARE NOT used for ADS like other less scrupulous free games). Don't play multiplayer and you won't get notification messages.

The Halloween beasties are all hidden again - they were only out for that day - did you manage to find any? Let us know!

We've added some halloween beasties into the mix... Now they are ONLY available for today - Halloween and they are hiding in barcodes that you may have ALREADY scanned !! Everytime you scan a barcode today there is a chance of one of them coming out !! Can you find them all ?? Don't bother scanning the same barcode over and over - they definitely won't come out then ...

We've done a load of changes - it's time you saw them !!

We are doing regular releases now. We're trying to do one a week ! Some of them will just have bug fixes and smaller changes in, but some others that we are working on are huge... We'll keep you posted on twitter / facebook and of course in these forums.

Firstly, a plea ! PLEASE email /twitter / facebook etc etc any issues, crashes you have to help us fix them. I can't debug through a marketplace comment. Also, if you do get a force close, put a quick comment in the box that appears. It really helps !

Barcode Beasties now has FAR better multiplayer (through c2dm - thanks google!) and loads of voices we are adding daily. The app will ask you to download them when you start it (WIFI recommended). We don't have voices for all the monsters yet but they are coming "online" whenever we have a chance.

## Multiplayer is now live and has CPU monsters for battling at all times. ##

Scan barcodes, find monsters and then FIGHT ! Game is under constant development / updates now. I actively listen to the playing community and take their requests into development (there is also a survey that you'll be invited to direct the game which you'll get a link to about a week after you register).

There is now a 3d version in the pipeline as well as far better sound effects, music etc. Watch this space !

@barcode_richard on twitter for free stuff and answers to market issues.

PERMISSIONS:

WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE - This is so we can download the voices to the SD card and save them there (as opposed to using valuable phone memory).

ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION - This is for upcoming multiplayer features where you will be able to battle players near you - and it's also for "Layar" (which isn't out publicly yet).

INTERNET - Pretty obvious - so you can play multiplayer etc...

READ_PHONE_STATE - We have to have this one to enable "scoreloop" which is our high score and achievement tracking service.

ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE - So we can see if the phone is online/ on wifi etc.

CAMERA - So you can scan barcodes !!

FLASHLIGHT - so if you are in the dark trying to scan a barcode, this *should* (on most phones) switch on the light.

BILLING - so you can donate "in the game" (coming soon)

C2DM / CLOUD MESSAGES - this is for multiplayer alerts etc.

WAKE_LOCK - so the phone doesn't switch off whilst you are viewing a battle.

*** If you have any issues with the above permissions, let us know and we'll do our best to make the app work without those functions ***

Recent changes:
19 Feb 2012

Due to popular demand, you can now tell us about the barcodes you've scanned, which products they are from etc etc. It is "WRITE-ONLY" for now, but we will be giving you the option to read *your* data (only) soon if it's popular enough. Let us know!

13 Feb 2012

Facebook now integrated from the App.

(Sorry about ads) - new Ad Manager implemented (adwhirl).

10 Nov 2011

- Lots of FC bug fixes ... keep the reports coming in if it crashes on you please !

TonePush Beta

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 12:22:29 +0000

TONEPUSH - Set your ringtone ... on someone else's phone! You'll need to make sure the app is installed on BOTH your phone and your friend's phone for this to work - sorry if this wasn't clear earlier.

This app is best used for the first time on two phones so you can see what it's doing. It's not much fun just using it on one phone. Watch the video if you want to see it in action first. I'll be adding some more to the video shortly with all the extra features I've added recently.

The permissions requested and the reasons why are at the bottom of this text.

So let me just repeat the headline. This app will allow YOU to change the ringtone on YOUR FRIENDS phone ... so when you ring him (or her), they will hear what YOU want them to hear ! You can also record directly from your microphone or send any mp3 file you have directly as a ringtone.

This version has 5 FREE popular Christmas ringtones and also 5 Christmas VoiceTones you can send to you friends and family.

It is NOT "Caller Ring Back tone" - ie it is not the tone that you hear on your phone when you dial someone. It is the ringtone that their phone PLAYS to them. Really sorry I had to repeat this, but there has been some confusion and I thought I would spell it out. There is a youtube video link, please watch that for a quick 2 minute demonstration.

Ok.. So now more details: The app is still in a testing phase.. but it's starting to work quite well across a number of platforms.

IMPORTANT: You MUST put your phone number in the first text box upon starting the app. If you don't, the app just won't work ! Click menu -> why on the app to find out more about this.

Long click on the top list to "preview" a ringtone before you send it. Happy TonePushing !!

Unlike a lot of "free" ringtone apps on the market - this one uses completely legal + licensed audio files. Some of them I have paid for (eg the 5 Christmas Tunes) and also it can access the SoundCloud database for CC0 licensed music. I will be modifying the lookup to be able to get more music from them when we have agreed what I need to display to conform with their licenses.

PERMISSIONS
---------------

“Your personal information” - modify contacts, read contacts etc.

Ok - hopefully this one is pretty obvious. The app needs to be able to read your contact list in order to display that list to you, and write to your contact lists in order to be able to change their ringtone.

Network communication

Hopefully, pretty obvious too. The app needs to be able to communicate with the internet to send and receive TonePush requests and ringtones.

Storage

The downloaded tonepushes are stored in the “external” drive to minimize the space used on your phone.

Hardware controls - record audio.

This is to enable you to be able to record your own ringtones (coming soon).

Phone calls - read phone status and identity.

This is to enable the app to make a best guess at your phone number when it runs for the first time (I am considering removing this)

System tools - prevent phone from sleeping

This is a mandatory requirement for the use of cloud messaging.

Services that may cost you money - directly call phone numbers

This is so you can dial straight out from the app to your tonepush friends the moment they've installed the ringtone!

Write Settings

This is for the "Default Ringtone" uploader page on the web which will allow you to quickly and easily set a ringtone from any pc on the web (no usb, wifi or whatever required).

Please note: The app NEVER sends your contact list anywhere, but it does "send" the recipient number to check in the database if they have TonePush too.

Code Peer Review

I am happy to discuss with anybody what bits of code does what and even to display the source code in a screen sharing session for those of you who have concerns, criticisms or even advice about how best to deal with personal data.

Recent changes:
v2.12 - 27 Nov

Now use the proper action bar stuff for a far better look. Also far easier to search through the SoundCloud database.

v2.11 - 25 Nov

Now has CC0 soundcloud support ! To search soundcloud do menu->settings->primary data source->"SoundCloud public". Then, you can use the filter preference(the option below it) to search soundcloud! All sounds used are CC0 "no-rights-reserved".

Vera Alert

Sat, 26 Mar 2011 17:25:00 +0000

Thanks loads to Richard T. Schaefer <schaefer@rts-services.com> for his additions to the code !

This is a simple app to allow users of the "Mi Casa Verde" Vera 2 Home Automation system to send messages directly to your Android Phone.

DO NOT BOTHER INSTALLING UNLESS YOU HAVE A "VERA" SYSTEM. Please don't. It will just waste your time !!

*** NEW *** 5 Alert tones.

Simply add the word "AlertTone3" (or any number between 1 and 5) anywhere in your message, and the app will use that alert tone as dictated in the preferences (open the app, click menu -> preferences ).

Recent changes:
Now updated preferences so you can have up to 5 different alert sounds. The last one can be a ring tone if you really want...

See description above to see how to use the different alert tones.

Bitcoin Businesses

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 06:17:17 +0000

A very simple Google Maps app that allows you to see businesses that accept bitcoins.

You can upload details about your business via this link here:

http://www.getbitcoin.info/

and .. after I've checked it isn't spam it'll be included in the database for viewing by everybody with the app.

The app is also open source. Accepting all contributions ! Code available here : https://github.com/ragmondo/bitcoinbiz

The upload form accepts html in the long description box, so feel free to be creative with links (you can include referral codes as well if you want).

If you want to use the data, it's available in kml or json format. Get in touch and let me know and we can talk. I do want to extend the app by putting "rate this place" and stuff like that on it, so there will be some minor restrictions on use but I intend to make it as free and open as possible.

Just to start with, its for 3.2 and above but I will be making it more backward compatible after I see how well this is received.

Recent changes:
v1.1 24-March-2013 Included contributions from community. Thanks to all those who have contributed so far (and please edit the about page to include your names if you want).

v1.0 First version.