Mobile

Android Candy: Intercoms

Ever since my "tiny $20 tablet" project (see my Open-Source Classroom column in the March 2015 issue), I've been looking for more and more cool things to do with cheap Android devices.

Android Candy: Bluetooth Auto Connect

I love my latest Android device (see the March 2015 issue's Open-Source Classroom column for details), but for some reason, it won't automatically connect to my Bluetooth headset. When I turn on my headset, I want it to connect to my Android device so I can start using it right away.

Android Candy: Google Keep

I love Evernote. I pay for a premium membership, and to be honest, I don't think I even use the premium features. I just love Evernote so much, I want to support the company. But in the spirit of fair comparison, I forced myself to try Google Keep.

Android Candy: Party Like It's 1994!

I really stink at video games. I write about gaming occasionally, but the truth of the matter is, I'm just not very good. If we play Quake, you'll frag me just about as often as I respawn. I don't have great reflexes, and my coordination is horrible.

Android Candy: Goodbye RDP, Hello Chrome Remote Desktop!

Controlling a remote computer is something you're all familiar with. Whether that means RDP to your corporate Windows Server (we don't judge), Apple Remote Desktop (which is really VNC) to your OS X machine or VNC/X11/etc. into your GUI Linux machine, it's always a pain in the rear.

Give new life to old phones and tablets with these tips!

If you're like me (and you're a Linux Journal reader, so you may actually be like me), you probably rotate through your cell phones and/or tablets every couple years. These little devices are so convenient and have been consistently dropping in price, while their power continues to go up, so you may have a few older devices sitting in a drawer.

Android Candy: Quit Thumbing Your Passwords!

I use my phone more often to log in to on-line accounts than I use a computer. I can assure you it's not because typing passwords on a tiny keyboard is fun. For most of us, we just have instant access to our phones at any given time during the day.

Android Candy: Repix, Not Just Another Photo App

Apps like Instagram have made photo filters commonplace. I actually don't mind the vintage look for quick cell-phone snapshots, but a filter can do only so much. At first glance, Repix is another one of those "make your photo cool" apps that does little more than add a border and change saturation levels.

Android Candy: I'm Sorry 2048 Times

It seems like every day there's a new mobile game that takes the world by storm. Whether it's Flappy Bird or Candy Crush, there's something about simple games that appeals to our need for quick, instant gratification.

Android Candy: Waze

I have a love/hate relationship with Waze. The idea of peer collaboration regarding traffic, combined with the technology to accomplish it on an enormous scale is truly amazing. Yet, every time I've used Waze myself, it's been an exercise in frustration. It has insisted I turn left off a bridge, and then it refused to reroute me when I didn't.

Android Candy: Control-Z for Your Phone!

I never have a Twitter app crash in the middle of a Tweet. That wouldn't be too terrible to deal with. No, for me, it seems my e-mail application decides to crash after I've spent 20 minutes thumbing out a reply while sitting in a crowded airport. If you've ever lost a love letter, term paper, shopping list or world-class Facebook post, Type Machine is the perfect app for you.

Android Candy: Humans, Run!

Whether you're a fan of the shambling brain-munchers or you prefer your undead to sprint from victim to victim, zombies are amazingly popular. In an ironic twist, the most unhealthy members of humanity, or former members, can help you become the healthiest!

Be a Mechanic...with Android and Linux!

"Check Engine Soon"—that little orange light on your car's instrument panel is possibly one of the more annoying things about modern automobiles. Ever had it pop on during a trip and wonder whether it was just something mundane, like your gas cap being loose, or whether it's something deathly serious and a piston could come shooting out the side of your engine block at any time?

AIDE—Developing for Android on Android

Android, as a platform, is one of the fastest growing on the planet. It is available on smartphones and a series of different tablet sizes. Most devices also include a full spectrum of sensors that are available to programs you install, so it's a very inviting platform for development.

Android Candy: Free, Family, Fun—Fantastic

I've mentioned geocaching before, but if you've never taken the time to go out and do it, you're really missing out. Whether you're dragging your family through two feet of snow in the middle of the woods (yeah, I did that last year, I'm still not sure they've forgiven me) or following your GPS around a parking lot looking for a tiny micro-cache, geocaching is fun.

Android Candy: Flickr Uploader

As luck would have it, shortly after I purchased a Flickr Pro subscription, Yahoo decided to eliminate the pay-for option with Flickr and give everyone a free Terabyte of space to store photos. Although I'm still not convinced Flickr is the best way to store photos, I have found it to be very flexible, so for now, my family members dump all their photos to Flickr from all their devices.