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segler-alex / RadioDroid

radio browser app that uses www.radio-browser.info on android
GNU General Public License v3.0
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Add a "clock radio" mode #598

Open nmishkin opened 4 years ago

nmishkin commented 4 years ago

By "clock radio" I mean a device that sits on a table next to my bed and that's primarily an clock (i.e., shows the time), with alarm functionality, and the ability to play radio stations and has a sleep timer.

In the form of an app, the clock radio needs to have a UI that's easy to use by someone (e.g., me) who wears glasses but doesn't want to have to put them on in the middle of the night to operate the app. (E.g., chunky buttons.) Also it needs to have good brightness control/behavior so it's not shining too brightly in my face at night.

nmishkin commented 4 years ago

I'm a Java developer and have some very small experience with Android app development so I might take on trying to implement this mode myself but I'm interested in both usage and implementation thoughts/ideas from anyone else.

werman commented 4 years ago

We already have alarms.

Sleep time, is it "stop playing after X minutes"? Then we have it. Or is it "snooze" for alarm?

Clock, I'm not sure how it will fit the app. Why not a separate app?

UI adapted for low vision, would be good to have.

Brightness, we have dark mode which needs some touch up. The brightness itself is on Android to regulate.

nmishkin commented 4 years ago

@werman :

Thanks for your comments.

Yes, by "sleep time" I mean "stop playing after X minutes". Glad to know that's covered as is dark mode.

WRT the other features you mention, it's all about maximizing usability for the half-asleep and low-visioned, if you count among "low-visioned" people (like me :-) who wear glasses but don't want to have to put them on in the middle of the night switch apps to check the time or turn on the BBC World News for 15 minutes.

werman commented 4 years ago

I'm all for maximizing usability. I already took some steps to ensure app usability with screen readers and optional bigger interface should cover last left gap in the usability. And bigger interface is something that is needed also for other reasons like being used in car.

In your case will you just always use the bigger interface?

And about the clock, time could be seen on a lock screen of the phone, am I missing something here? As someone with terrible vision myself I have no issues with seeing time on phone at night.

morckx commented 4 years ago

I'm interested in both usage and implementation thoughts/ideas from anyone else.

I also use RadioDroid, sometimes on different devices, in several very different application contexts (including bedside and wall/kitchen radio (and car radio)) whose UI (and sleep timer etc.) requirements are quite incompatible. Implementing different skins for the different contexts wouldn't be a problem, but I have no idea how to integrate this and its management sensibly into RadioDroid.

For my wall-mounted radio application, which also requires large symbols and buttons, I currently maintain a separate branch.

nmishkin commented 4 years ago

@morckx : Are you willing to share your branch with me (or all)?

nmishkin commented 4 years ago

In your case will you just always use the bigger interface?

I must be missing something because I don't see any setting to turn on a "bigger interface". Please elaborate.

And about the clock, time could be seen on a lock screen of the phone, am I missing something here? As someone with terrible vision myself I have no issues with seeing time on phone at night.

It's really about minimizing the number of steps I need to take to get from seeing the time to turning on/off the radio. For example, if I wake up in the middle of the night I want to be able to effortlessly see the time and maybe have the radio play for 10 minutes. On a physical clock radio that's one tap.

werman commented 4 years ago

In your case will you just always use the bigger interface?

I must be missing something because I don't see any setting to turn on a "bigger interface". Please elaborate.

I mean hypothetically, if it was implemented.

And about the clock, time could be seen on a lock screen of the phone, am I missing something here? As someone with terrible vision myself I have no issues with seeing time on phone at night.

It's really about minimizing the number of steps I need to take to get from seeing the time to turning on/off the radio. For example, if I wake up in the middle of the night I want to be able to effortlessly see the time and maybe have the radio play for 10 minutes. On a physical clock radio that's one tap.

"clock radio" - I just never saw it, now I searched and saw why you ask for such a thing =)

@morckx

Implementing different skins for the different contexts wouldn't be a problem, but I have no idea how to integrate this and its management sensibly into RadioDroid.

Having several addition modes, like "wall radio", "clock radio", "car radio" would be useful. How to implement them in contained way - I'd think about it. And could you post screenshots of what interface you made for wall radio?

nmishkin commented 4 years ago

FYI, a friend who's heard me go on about this "clock radio" idea recent sent me a link to this Lenovo device which is in a category of devices I'd previously not heard of called "smart clocks": "The 21st century version of a bedroom alarm clock".

morckx commented 4 years ago

Having several addition modes, like "wall radio", "clock radio", "car radio" would be useful. How to implement them in contained way - I'd think about it. And could you post screenshots of what interface you made for wall radio?

It's really nothing fancy, see here:

https://github.com/segler-alex/RadioDroid/issues/506#issuecomment-494870563

@morckx : Are you willing to share your branch with me (or all)?

My wall radio branch is also linked in that post. It is, however, outdated. For rooted devices, the off button will turn off radio and screen.