Desk Pets Open Source Android Project

 

 

 

What is this?

 

Desk Pets Open Source Android Project is an open source project for whoever interested in developing an Android App which can control a real toy. This is open to anyone as long as one is passioned and interested in Android app development. In return, we will provide you our 2011 newest product "TankBot" for FREE. 

 

 

 

How does it work?

Theres is an iPhone version of this project which is called "iDeskPets Universal Remote". The following is the iPhone app screen shots:

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To use this app to control the Desk Pets product, you will need to first of all select the product that you want to take control with then the buttons is now becoming the remote control of the product. The iphone will also need a dongle to emit the infrared(IR) signal to control the toy. The follow is the picture of the dongle:

 

  

 

The usage is pretty simple. Simply plug in the dongle into the headphone jack and turns on the app as well as the dongle then it will work. 

The whole idea behind is using the app the play an audio file to trigger the dongle to emit the IR signal. For example for the Skitterbot there are only 5 commands to control the toy. In this case, we have 5 different audio files (.wav files) to be played in order to control the Skitterbot via the dongle. Very simple right? 

As a developer, all you have to do is to write an app (or by modifying the current one) so that the app has buttons to trigger the playback of the sound files to control the different products.

 

Our plan, your challenge

Here is the challenge, we are looking for Android developers to do the Android version of the app for Desk Pets. We have made a very beginning Android version of the app and its already on the Android Market. However, we are turning this to an opportunity for those ambitious Android developers to challenge themselves. 

By taking part in the program, developers will be provided with a dongle with one of the desk pets toy for development. Things that the developers have to be done are as follow:

1. Remove the bugs if any
2. Redesign of the "selection page" so that it is more user friendly and looks better
3. Add the 2 joystick control as shown on the above pic and will be able to use them to control the TankBot.

 

Getting started

The first thing you will need to do is to submit us a brief introduction to yourselves as being an Android developer. At the same time, you will have to submit a draft design layout of how the selection page should be looks like to be better. 

We will then sent to the candidate a dongle and one of the toy for free. By then, the developer will have enough resources to make their own Android app.

The following programing milestones are suggested by the program supervisor in order to take part in this project:

1. Understand how the iPhone app of Desk Pets works.
2. Find out how to play a sound file by clicking a button
3. Multi-touch usage on the app

 

To join the project, you can refer to the here for more information and the source code.

 

Rewards

As an incentive, we will provide our newest product "tankbot" FOR FREE! This will be enjoyed by the best 5 submitted apps developers.

 

Inquiries

Please contact the program administrator at: ericpoon at mydeskpets.com