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'Hey Google, piss off the neighbors'
A mad genius built a 'TallyWhacker' that noisily activates via Google Assistant command
Do you recall when you were a kid, and there was nothing quite so fascinating as an old-fashioned spring doorstop? You know, the kind that goes "sproi-oi-oi-oing" with any errant tap? A Reddit apartment dweller, having presumably endured one late-night Riverdance rehearsal too many, decided to weaponize this experience.
Someone took apart a rotary phone, removed the call-making guts of it, and replaced them with a Google Home Mini. The best part about this mess of circuitry? The receiver acts as the smart speaker's output. Yes.
The spirit of DJ Roomba lives on in 2019. Although this one might not swear, enterprising developer Eddie Zhang has found a way to install an open-source Spotify client on his first-gen Xiaomi robotic vacuum cleaner. Thanks to the slightly garbage built-in speaker, an off-brand DJ Roomba 2.0 was born.
We're primarily an Android blog, but we also cover plenty of smart home gadgets for our readers. And today, we've got something special. Some guy on the internet (Michael Reeves over on YouTube) tweaked a Roomba to swear when it runs into things stuff shit.
At some point, someone decided that smartwatches have to be capable of replacing your phone. While that might work okay-ish on Apple's platform, it's a disaster over in the Android world – underpowered but battery-sucking Snapdragon chips meet poorly written software on Wear OS. With Pebble gone, there aren't many options left for people looking for a simple wearable that just shows them notifications. Wearable fan Samson March took matters into his own hands (literally) and created a smartwatch with a custom OS, custom design, and a battery life of one whole week that simply mirrors his iPhone's notifications, with no bells and whistles, all while open sourcing the entire project. Sometimes, less is more.
We get a kick out of hardware mods here at Android Police. They're fun to see, and occasionally fun to do, especially when they make up for a product's shortcomings. Enter the Google Home Mini, a device which we mostly liked (when it wasn't bugging out). It did have one slight deficiency, though, and that was volume. It just didn't get very loud. But the folks at YouTube channel SnekTek took that as a challenge and installed an audio output jack for external amplification.
Earlier this year, AIY Projects partnered with Google to develop the 'Voice Kit.' Once assembled and connected to a Raspberry Pi microcomputer, you had your very own DIY Google Assistant smart speaker. Google even added support for the kit to its Android Things OS.
Those who might need to do some phone repair, like a daughterboard replacement to fix a bad microUSB port, or a battery swap to fix some unfortunate bulge, might be drawn by this particular deal. Over at Massdrop, there is a group-buy together for the iFixit Universal Bit Kit. Originally .95, you can pick up the set for a 30% discount at $69.99 (plus $9 for shipping), if you are willing to wait a bit. Not a bad trade-off.If you're big into mechanical keyboards, like most of us here at Android Police are, then the odds are that you know the name Massdrop. For the unfamiliar, Massdrop is a "group buy" site that organizes periodic bulk purchases from manufacturers, ostensibly to save consumers money. Prices can be hit-or-miss, and there's always the question of delays, but it can sometimes get you a good deal.
I love seeing DIY projects that retrofit new hardware into old electronics. Some examples include converting an Apple II floppy drive into an external USB hard drive, and shoving a Raspberry Pi into the casing of a Commodore 64. Martin Mander shared his latest project on YouTube and Instructables - a 1986 home intercom with Google Assistant.
Google released the first Developer Preview for its new 'Android Things' operating system back in December, and the company has been improving it ever since. A minor update, Developer Preview 3.1, was released today with support for the new AIY Projects Voice Kit.
It must be nice to have a car with a media system that can be updated - some of us are lucky just to get Bluetooth. Some Hyundai owners can actually upgrade their in-car entertainment systems to give them Android Auto support, and today that list expands by four according to Cnet. Owners of the 2016 Sonata Hybrid (standard and plug-in), 2016 Veloster, and 2015/2016 Azera can now get some sweet, sweet Android Auto action with a download and a bit of legwork.
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João Dias — better known to the world as joaomgcd — has just announced the beta version of a new Tasker plugin called the AutoArduino. The AutoArduino is just the latest in a series of over a dozen apps from the developer, and it lets owners of the programmable circuit board use Tasker to control any one of its countless digital and analog pins with nothing more than an Android phone or tablet.
Ever since Amazon announced the Echo, the platform and Alexa's voice commands have been expanding and adding more partners and features. They haven't, however, gained the magical ability to control your house's manual window blinds. It has though become possible to connect Alexa to an Arduino board, which increases the potential uses for the platform.
With each passing year, the futuristic contraptions of science fiction movies edge closer and closer into the realm of reality. Case in point: Braun has just made a smartmirror that runs Android. No, not that Braun — this Braun. An engineer at Google, Max Braun is someone who enjoys using his spare time in more productive ways than simply watching TV on the couch. Instead, he has been building his own smart bathroom mirror — and it looks amazing.The mirror displays information such as the time, weather forecast, and latest news headlines in a clean, minimalist UI. It's still a work in progress, and Braun is still experimenting with adding other things like traffic conditions and reminders. The display itself isn't interactive, but that's not really the point: Braun says the idea is for the mirror to automatically pull relevant data in the same way that Google Now does. For anything else, there's always voice search.
The setup is surprisingly simple: aside from a fancy two-way mirror, it's just a regular display, a controller board, a power button, and a Fire Stick. Other than that, it's just a bunch of glue, tape, and plastic holding everything together. The mirror itself is the most expensive part (depending on how large a mirror you get and where you buy from, you can quickly end up spending a thousand dollars), but you can get everything else for just a few hundred bucks. You could probably even get by with one of those Fire tablets.
It's worth noting that this isn't by any means the first DIY smartmirror we've come across — it isn't even the first one powered by Android: there are already guides, Reddit threads, and even dedicated apps for building your very own smartmirror. Still, it's one of the best looking ones we've seen yet, and I wouldn't mind having one myself. If you're also interested in pimping up your bathroom with an Android Wallable device, Braun has promised to post a how-to soon enough.Source: Max Braun (Medium)
When we mention iFixit here on Android Police, it's often because of the team's excellent teardowns. They know how to take apart the most complex devices and figure out every single part that goes in them. However, iFixit — as the name suggests — is more popular for its comprehensive repair guides that span computers, electronics, and iPhones. Android has finally joined the ranks with a really extensive catalog of supported gadgets.
[Video] Must-See Home Automation Project Controls Lights And Entertainment Center By Voice, Starfleet Captain's Chair Still On Backorder
Let's be honest, most of us will never get to live in a crazy futuristic home like the Jetsons, but that doesn't mean we can't strive for a few of the
Let's be honest, most of us will never get to live in a crazy futuristic home like the Jetsons, but that doesn't mean we can't strive for a few of the simple luxuries. To that end, Doug Gregory is on track to make his living room smarter than the bridge of the USS Enterprise, all with a few electronic controllers and extensive use of Tasker. There's no way around it, you really need to see the video for this one.
If you've ever been one to tinker, build, or indulge in DIY projects, you've probably visited Instructables at one point or another. It's a great resource for those looking for specific how-tos, or just wanting something to do on a rainy day. Illustrated instructions are provided by the site's users, and can be discussed, favorited, or even downloaded.
It looks like the touchscreen isn't the only piece of hardware on the Sensation that works when it wants to. Posted today on XDA-Developers, Sensation owner zmfl recounted his experience with the audio signal coming and going on his phone, and having received confirmation of the issue from other members there, enterprisingly figured out the cause of the problem and its solution.