Ideas for Android app?

[Harold Pode]

Sir this school semester I will be having my thesis, I prefer android project but does not want to create a game

*i already have a background in making android applications yet i have lack of idea
Can you give me suggestions what to make?
i want to get the best thesis award on our graduation.

[Steve Luke]

The best application ideas come from need. Is there something you need to do on a regular basis, and you think that you can translate that into a mobile application? Since you will be working on your thesis the best application you can write would be one that you would use, since you will likely be testing it yourself and coming up with the use-cases and features yourself. So making yourself the 'customer representative' is a good idea.

So think about your hobbies, your daily activities, and anything you are passionate about. What could you do to make them more interesting, more interactive, easier, or more accessible? That should be your application.

[Harold Pode]

Sir Thank you for the reply.
I already have a proposal which featured several android apps function
I called it as "Handy Manager"
it have Event Planner,Budget Planner and Photo capturing with its own gallery.
I come to the problem that it's functions are not related to each other at the same time
i ask a prof who was not I.T related , she said "functions are too common and android version is not on trend" becoz i used 3.2 (Froyo)
that's why i come up to think other apps which can be android tools, e-learning etc. but i donot have ideas.
please give me examples of android apps that i will do ? or system maybe?
Again,Thanks you.

[Ulf Dittmer]

Is there really nothing you can think of that you'd like to do on your device that you can't currently do with it?

Maybe a task list app - basically a list of tasks you need to do, each with a title, a longer description and an optional due date and time. The UI would basically show the next tasks to be finished sorted by due date. Once the due time arrives, put up a notification. That would teach you GUI and data storage (using the internal DB is probably best for this).

As regards the Android version, 2.3 is still used on about 40% of all devices out there, so targeting 2.3 and up is a common approach, regardless of what your teacher thinks.

[Harold Pode]

If i am not mistaken Sir..
lower version of android app can be install in Higher Version of android..
and Higher Version cannot be installed in lower version..
Thanks for the Idea sir .. Maybe I may add Little 3d effect to make it more pleasing ..

[Ulf Dittmer]

Apps targeting Android 2.3 can be run on higher version, yes, but not vice versa. Is that what you meant?

As to using 3D graphics, I'd advise to start with the basic features and get those working correctly. For a tool, correct and useful behavior is more important than special effects (which can come later if you have time left).

[Harold Pode]

Yes Sir that's what i meant.
Maybe it will only take me 2 to 3 days in making that app
I will post again if i finish making it.
But i do not have any idea in 3d effects ..
Will you cite software that i can use and sites domain names for tutorials ..
I hope I could study it as fast as I can so I will only add features just to make it heavy for those coming days in working on it.
Thanks you.

[Ulf Dittmer]

Just to set expectations correctly, I don't think you will be able to do what I outlined above in 2-3 days, unless you're already quite proficient in Android. Especially accessing the DB will take a bit of time learn.

Will you cite software that i can use and sites domain names for tutorials ..

I don't understand - what should this software do? Are you looking for general Android tutorials? If so, the Android developer site has extensive tutorials, as does the Android Developer's blog. But you may wish to get an introductory book like Android in Action as well; depends on your style of learning.

[Steve Luke]

To add some suggestions on the app (rather than try to change your course): perhaps you should consider features rather than bling. Instead of using '3D graphics' in a task manager, which really doesn't fit the applications (in my opinion), why not add useful features such as:
- synchronization with Google and/or corporate calendars
- export / import functionality between common task services
- timelines, graphs and reports
- location awareness (notify when a user is 'close' to where the task needs to be done)
- voice integration
- email / share / assign tasks with others
- social integration (tweet: Look, I just completed 24 tasks today! Yay me!)

The idea would be: There are a ton of task list applications out there. Rather than making yours the same except for some 3D effect, why not make it have features others don't or more features, or a subset of features that no one app has...

However, it is your thesis, not mine, so feel free to disregard my post. Also, if you wanted to take this opportunity to learn 3D graphics on Android, then all the better.

[Harold Pode]

I forgot I will be using database..
Sorry for boasting though i did not intend to.
What i mean Sir were,,
what software i can use in 3d effects ? and tutorials for it?
so I can also practice it early ,, our Semester will start on June 3
our defense will be last week of July.
I hope i will learn fast ..

[Ulf Dittmer]

If you are so set on using 3D stuff, then a task manager app makes little sense, as Steve and I both tried to convey.

Android uses the OpenGL API for advanced graphics stuff; start reading at http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/graphics/opengl.html and http://developer.android.com/training/graphics/opengl/index.html.

[Harold Pode]

Sir At the first feature part of your recent comment
-synchronization with Google and/or corporate calendars
there is no Calendar view in Pallete in Eclipse
how can i put this stuff ? where can i download it.
Thank you so much for replying.

[Ulf Dittmer]

Android does not have a calendar view built into its API. If you want one, you need to write it yourself (or find an open source one somewhere on the web).

But since you mention the synchronization with other calendars, I'd say that should come way after you have implemented all the basic features. And given that you only have two months to do all this, my guess would be that you wouldn't get around to this part at all.

And taking a further step back, before you jump headlong into development, you should come up with a list of features you will implement, and then create a design (both of the software and the GUI), before you write even a single line of code. Otherwise you'll just end up with a mess.

[Harold Pode]

I hope i could start early because i'm having my on the job training
and really busy on Church activities
Thanks for all your replies sir
If there will be a problem in my work I will post it here
Goodluck to me

[Militaru razvan anton]

Idea of an android app.
I use very often the Android operating system. One day, while using a smartphone with Android OS, I've noticed that I ran out of internal storage space. 16 GB of memory, and only internal memory, no external storage memory designed for this smartphone. I needed more memory storage for new apps and games. So, the idea hit me.
Someone should create/develop an android app that allows you (by using an OTG cable, an sd card reader and an sd card) to install apps and games (and only apps and games) on sd card (from the sd card reader).
You can eject the sd card whenever you want, but if you want to use the sd card again, to be recognized the sd card again you'll need to reset your device (turn off, then turn on).

If someone would create an android app like this, it will be huge. As CD is for PC, the same will be this thing for android devices.

[Ulf Dittmer]

Android already supports SD cards, and can install apps on them. Anyone who needs lots of storage space can get a device that supports SD cards, and swap cards as necessary. But it is my impression that most people don't bother with multiple cards - they max the RAM of the device when they buy it, and then make do with that. I doubt that people will want to fiddle with card readers attached to mobile devices.