Matthew Mitchell TODO
I read the syllabus!
Five apps I’d like to learn how to write this semester…well, iOS is my primary interest, however, I’m really excited just to get hands-on experience coding for a mobile device. In my dabbling thus far with writing an application in C++ or Java or Python or whatever, it’s a very different experience translating that into Objective-C. It has very little to do with the language itself (Objective-C is mostly C and C++, but far more object-oriented with some complicated stuff for the sake of complication) but the environment that it’ll be running on.
So, here are my ideas for apps I’d like to create:
Twitter Client: Twitter just smacked their developers in the face with a flaming sledgehammer. They changed their APIs and their developer guidelines to be really really restrictive. However, I’d still like to make a Twitter client that allows you to post and read tweets, but also documents your personal tweets and stores them in a Personal Timeline…making Twitter more of a public diary/journal for yourself.
WoWKeys: This is something I’ve actually already started prototyping at home. I want to make an application that runs on your smartphone or tablet that allows you to drag and drop shapes and pictures into place on your screen, link the device to your computer, and use it to control video games. World of Warcraft is the first one I want to support, so a LUA Application will also be required as an extension for the WoW files on the computer. The big idea is a customizable keyboard that you build yourself.
Metronome: I really need one of these. I need something that I can tap out a tempo on the screen, and the metronome will keep that beat while I drum or play guitar or whatever. The app will need to be able to be set to different time signatures, and have customizable sounds, volumes, and visuals so that the user can make the most of the app.
Sphero: I’m really excited at the prospect of working with a Sphero at the end of the semester. I’d like to make something of a scientific tool with it, actually. Being able to run experiments and tests like momentum, velocity, torque, friction…that sort of thing…would be really cool not only as a way for the general population to learn some science, but it’d also be a great teaching tool!
CalendarSync: Right now I’ve got my iPad that has iCal on it. iCal has my class schedule. There’s also the Reminders app, where I could put all of my assignments, but it’s a pain in the…app. I’d like to make an app that can access the iCal API, or Google Calendar, and make a virtual assignment notebook that “just work” to sync up all of your to-dos.