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Here are a few pics of my design showing some ideas that would be cool to have the iPad control. http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/imag...442fd07e04.pnghttp://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/imag...44373bf1a9.pnghttp://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/imag...443ccaaa13.pnghttp://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/imag...44402d60f9.pnghttp://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/imag...4442fb78a3.png
1. Runs obdgpslogger, combines OBDII and GPS info together and logs the output. Can be queried for information about either.Quote:
Originally Posted by krillin47
2. Fusion brain control
3. Boomzbox HD radio control
4. XM/Sirius radio control
5. Mediatomb or any Linux based upnp player can serve audio and video from a USB external drive
6. OSDash client
Basically, the idea is to have the embedded Linux device (either Sheeva plug or igep v2 or the upcoming Beagleboard XM) interface with the outside world and provide a way to communicate that to the Front End.
Running an Apache web server on it, you could serve up a web page inside the FE that allows you to control the functions on the Sheeva, or if you want, you can code that stuff into the FE.
Okay, I think it's a bit early to figure out how this thing is going to look like? I think we should focus instead on the basics of what can be done instead.
For instance, I don't think an application can launch another application within Apple rules. That's what a developer once told me when I asked for a button to launch Pandora, so don't quote me on that.
So unless we're thinking about writing every little module we might want to use (nav, traffic, pandora, etc.), we should investigate instead how to take control of the main menu button at the bottom, for instance. So suppose you launch nav, you're done with it, you press the home button and then we're back to the spring board? We'd like to go back to the FE, right?
I wonder if what we really want is something like a springboard replacement...I hope not, but the alternative would be to write a nav application and all the modules into the front end? This would require a massive collaborative project I fear? Just wondering.
I am simply trying to help any way I can, I do not have any programming skills other than html for websites. So my biggest contribution could be to the visual design of the FE.Quote:
Originally Posted by RipplingHurst
I am fairly certain that an app can open another app, for instance in many apps you can touch the ads and it can open safari or it can open the app store in some cases.
I do agree that having the home button take you back a page rather than returning to springboard would be a good idea however.
A springboard replacement would not be a bad idea but I believe you are correct it would take much more time and knowlegde of any one individual has to offer.
Since Bugbyte says that he has used the sheeva plug to control the fusion brain from the iPad I see no reason why at least the engine start and door lock and window controls couldnt be implemented. The climate control may be a little far out of reach at this point though. And with the kiwi obd I think it shouldn't be too big of a challenge to get the gauges incorporated.
Wow, awesome to see this thing coming along conceptually.
I'll give my .02:
-Customizable layout for the interface
Everyone uses their iPad for different things. I like to have my "3d" map, OBD-II, and album art. Some like to display different things - weather, traffic, cams, Boomzbox, twitter feed, etc. What I'd LOVE is if you were able to select a "frames" style you want. I.e. (in portrait) you'd say you wanted the top 1/2 as one frame and the bottom half divided into 2 more. Then you just select what you wanted where. Or maybe you want 4 things. Or 2. Etc etc. Not sure if that's going to be over the top complex, but it'd definitely be a huge selling point IMO.
More on this idea: When iOS 4.2 hits the iPad and multitasking is there, being able to pull from any app that's currently being backgrounded and put it into one of the frames would be great. Not sure how well that would work, as those apps are pretty much in a sleep state and having them all awake is against Apple's decided methodology on backgrounding in general, but it's a thought.
-Easily modified themes
-LARGE buttons to back up swipe gestures. It's pretty hard to make a large button look good, but it's been done. Small buttons are useless for in-car use.
-Preferences integration. Much like what SBSettings does for jailbroken units, being able to adjust brightness, turn on/off wifi/3g/bluetooth/airplane mode would be nice to have in-app. If this is to be a Front End, I don't really want to have to leave it to adjust settings.
-Fast. I've seen a lot of apps that try to do too much and end up being sluggish. If it's slow to start, execute, and move around, it's not going to stay on the iPad.
I just wanted to let you guys know at I have been reading your replies but I'm posting this from my iPhone, so when I get somewhere where I can pull out my iPad or my laptop, I'll reply to the previous posts in full.
I do agree that we should worry more about the functions of the app before incorporating them UI as of right now as being discussed it seems like customizable layouts is what people want, but please keep working on your ideas and post them here @wkndpaintballer as they may give ideas to me or others.
I appreciate that, and I welcome your input. I think we can multitask and discuss both, design ui and basic functionality. :nod: I just didn't want to get carried away too much with things that might never work...:hurt:Quote:
Originally Posted by wkndpaintballer
I'd love to see that extended to any app. I'm skeptical.Quote:
I am fairly certain that an app can open another app, for instance in many apps you can touch the ads and it can open safari or it can open the app store in some cases.
Agreed. Or maybe we can theme/skin the springboard first page to make it look like the front end...and still usable for other stuff.Quote:
I do agree that having the home button take you back a page rather than returning to springboard would be a good idea however.
A springboard replacement would not be a bad idea but I believe you are correct it would take much more time and knowlegde of any one individual has to offer.
Keep your design ideas coming!
Yep. Don't worry about icons and buttons. No need to post much either, you're the programmer, just shut up and code...:thumb:Quote:
Originally Posted by krillin47
:sorry: just kidding, of course.:p
Alright, I'm on my laptop now. I agree RipplingHurst, I'm a programmer, not a designer, I need to focus! :nod:
As far as being able to open up other apps within an app, they must have a registered prefix for url, such as tel:15555552222 would tell the phone to dial 1 (555) 555-2222. There are other apps that have those, but Pandora doesn't have one as far as I can tell. As this app starts to get developed more, I will contact pandora and ask if they have any thought of using a registered prefix to maybe start playing a specific playlist.
I think these would be awesome to incorporate, but I will ned to have access to these different devices to build off of them.Quote:
1. Runs obdgpslogger, combines OBDII and GPS info together and logs the output. Can be queried for information about either.
2. Fusion brain control
3. Boomzbox HD radio control
4. XM/Sirius radio control
5. Mediatomb or any Linux based upnp player can serve audio and video from a USB external drive
6. OSDash client
Basically, the idea is to have the embedded Linux device (either Sheeva plug or igep v2 or the upcoming Beagleboard XM) interface with the outside world and provide a way to communicate that to the Front End.
Running an Apache web server on it, you could serve up a web page inside the FE that allows you to control the functions on the Sheeva, or if you want, you can code that stuff into the FE.
I can adjust britness and maybe a few other things, but I will look into if its possible to disable things like wifi/3g/bluetooth/airplane mode.Quote:
-Preferences integration. Much like what SBSettings does for jailbroken units, being able to adjust brightness, turn on/off wifi/3g/bluetooth/airplane mode would be nice to have in-app. If this is to be a Front End, I don't really want to have to leave it to adjust settings.
As this is very true, its because they don't know how to properly handle releasing views and other resources properly.Quote:
-Fast. I've seen a lot of apps that try to do too much and end up being sluggish. If it's slow to start, execute, and move around, it's not going to stay on the iPad.
I'm not sure that this will be possible with a non jailbroken iPad. The reason is because you would be pulling an app into your own, that you don't have rights to. If this becomes available, I would definitely incorporate it, but I don't see it becoming a reality any time soon.Quote:
More on this idea: When iOS 4.2 hits the iPad and multitasking is there, being able to pull from any app that's currently being backgrounded and put it into one of the frames would be great. Not sure how well that would work, as those apps are pretty much in a sleep state and having them all awake is against Apple's decided methodology on backgrounding in general, but it's a thought.
If Pandora releases an API to talk to their system, then I will definitely build pandora into the app.
Cool, I think you know what you're doing, take your time, I'm actually glad you're engaging in the conversation and listening to all the suggestions!