Search Results Tag: android
I have started my first open source project called DroidOrb. This is an extensible accessory for Android that most electronics hobbyists can build for themselves. The basic accessory will act as a phone dock and display notifications via the glowing “orb” in various colours. Extensions will allow the docked phone to control other systems, such as your home alarm or automation system.
For more information, please see the DroidOrb website: http://droidorb.com
Introduction
My JSE is an Android app I wrote for monitoring your JSE portfolio and watch lists. It is created specifically for casual traders or investors who need to keep track of their current portfolio status.
My JSE was created to answer these questions:
Features
Some of the features of My JSE:
Coming soon
This app is a work-in-progress, but will be available on an app market soon. Many more features are planned for future versions. Watch this space! Contact me for more information.
I was extremely excited when Google announced the Open Accessories Development Kit (http://accessories.android.com/) at Google IO earlier this year. I decided that this was the ideal opportunity to bring together my hardware and software skills and create an interesting accessory.
So far, I have a working prototype, and more details will be posted once my accessory nears completion, but you can check out the current progress here: https://plus.google.com/118226948467140990198/posts/JzPAkmKWa6B
The idea is to see how close I can take my idea to a store store shelf…
I am a freelancer available for developing Android applications. I am an Electronics Engineer specializing in software engineering, with a passion for consumer electronics. I can develop Android apps of all sizes other than applications that require more than the standard SDK functionality (for example: games, device drivers, etc.). If in doubt, contact me anyway. See details of my work below and contact me if you would like to discuss a project.
I have over 10 years of senior-level Java development experience (Android is programmed using Java), as well as web technologies, which is relevant for most Internet-based Android apps. I also have over 1 year of Android development experience. I have developed several Android apps, some of which are in the Android Market (see below for details), and I have a column in the AndroidZA website where I discuss Android development. I have hosted a few Android dev workshops, including SA’s very first one at Wits university.
My detailed online resume is available on LinkedIn here: http://za.linkedin.com/in/tobykurien. I can also provide references from my previous workplaces that will confirm my talent for software engineering and my high level of professionalism.
View my Android projects and involvement in the local Android community on my Android projects page. My most successful app, BatteryFu, has well over 180,000 downloads.
Apps I am currently developing, or have developed recently, are not yet listed, so check back soon. This is not a comprehensive list, however, as most of the apps I build are under NDA (non-disclosure agreement), and hence cannot be listed here and usually aren’t published to the Android Market.
Other projects I work on include using cheaply imported tablets for hospitality industry, education, data collection, medical industry, media displays in shops, etc.
I am flexible on remuneration – I will consider freelance (hourly billing), revenue share, or equity deals (depending on the project specifics). Time-permitting, I will also consider pro bono work for non-profit organisations. Speak to me and let me know what suits you best. I offer particularly good value for small businesses and start ups.
I charge market-related rates (or in most cases, less), although the rates are dependent on the size of the project and the shortness of the deadline. Typical (medium-sized) apps cost in the region of R60,000 but apps can range from R20,000 to R90,000 or more.
I work using Agile methodology. This means that instead of a fixed cost being charged for a project, I will work in iterations, providing you with a working app that you can test (for example, once a week) together with an invoice for that iteration. This allows you to stop development at any time if you choose to, and also monitor progress in a much more visual way than just getting a timesheet with abstract deliverables ticked off on a todo list. This is a very transparent process, and allows you to make changes at any point in the development of your app.
On the downside, I cannot guarantee timelines (I can only give a rough estimate), nor can I accept any penalties for late-delivery (for example, I could be hospitalized, which would halt progress on the project). If timelines are important to you, you may wish to consider using a development company, rather than a freelance developer such as myself. Bear in mind that developers are not able to accurately estimate time because of the nature of the work we do.
What about outsourcing to India or other country? It is always advisable to have a local lead developer when doing this, to ensure quality of code and delivery. I outsource some of my work to India, and have experienced the ins-and-outs of doing this. As a technical lead, I am able to manage the process effectively, but would not advise non-technical clients to outsource directly to another continent.
For more information on this topic, see this discussion on Linked-In:
I develop exclusively for Android, so I cannot build or port for iOS (iPhone/iPad), BlackBerry, or any other platform. This allows me to master Android, rather than develop mediocre apps for multiple platforms.
I tend not to use technologies like PhoneGap and other cross-platform development tools as they lack in integrating with platform-specific features, and makes the Android version of the app look like a poor clone of the iPhone version. However, depending on the specific app, this might be the right tool for the job and I would be able to use it.
I can code for any version of Android up to 4.X (Ice Cream Sandwich), although I try to code all my apps to work on Android 1.6 and above (unless they need a feature of a newer version). I have test devices ranging in screen sizes: 2.8″ 320×240, 3.2″ 320×480, 3.7″ 854×480, 5″ 800×480, 7″ 1024×600, and 10.1″ 1280×800. Unless the app has a non-standard user interface designed by a graphic designer, it will generally scale properly on all devices.
I am available for small/medium projects from February 2012. You are welcome to contact me regarding my availability (especially if your project is small) as my availability varies weekly.
I am based in Midrand, South Africa. My internet contact details are listed here: contact details. You can also call me on +27 73 479 3273 or email toby at tobykurien dot com.
Please don’t call me for 3G/wifi/etc. support on your imported Android device. For that, try this site instead: http://slatedroid.com
If you are looking for other South African Android developers, I have a small list here.
I’ve always wanted to get into mobile application development, and finally got down to writing my first Android application. It is called SmsFu. From my market blurb:
“SmsFu stops junk or spam SMS’s from irritating you, without you blacklisting them first. How? It silences notifications when the SMS is from a long number (or optionally, not in your phonebook).”
I wrote this application mainly out of irritation with “Jimmy’s Killer Prawns”, “Coco Bongo”, “Honda Midrand”, and other spammers who somehow got hold of my phone number and then started arbitrarily spamming me. I decided that the real irritation was that it got me excited about receiving an SMS, thus leading me to drop what I was doing, only to find out that I’ve been spammed.
SA Events is an Android app I wrote that lists the major South African events such as expo’s, shows, festivals, concerts, carvinals, cultural events, etc. It is a great way to quickly browse upcoming events and then add them to your calendar with a reminder, so that you don’t miss your favorite events.
BatteryFu is an Android application I wrote to save battery life (and data) on my HTC Dream (G1). After trying JuiceDefender from the market, I was quite disappointed at how bloated it was and how it actually ended up using memory and battery on my device which went against what it’s supposed to accomplish.
So I wrote BatteryFu as a proof-of-concept to see if a lean and mean battery saver would work. And boy, does it work! I can get almost 4 days of battery life under normal usage (using conservative settings).
I have a column on the AndroidZA website (South African Android community) called Toby’s corner, where I discuss Android development.
The idea of this column is to help the absolute beginner get started, and also have articles for intermediate to advanced Android developers where I will discuss tips, tricks, common pitfalls, etc. This is not a course on Android development, but rather a “learn as we go along” approach, which will hopefully benefit the developers out there.
