Tasker:
This simple concept profoundly extends your control of your Android device and it's capabilities, without the need for 'root' or a special home screen.
Tasker came 3rd in the Productivity category in the Android Developer Challenge 2.
- passcode-lock sensitive applications (e.g. for child safety)
- change phone settings by
- application: long screen timeout in a book reader
- time: screen brightness lower in the evening
- location: ringer volume high at the office, turn off ke yguard at home
- wake up with a random song from your music collection
- Text-to-speech; read out loud: incoming SMS/ phone number, WiFi/Bluetooth status, when it's time for an appointment, when the battery is low etc etc (Android OS 1.6+ only)
- launch a music application when your music SD card is inserted, otherwise a file browser
- start the day with a particular application showing
- change all your home icons and wallpaper every day, or in particular locations
- turn the phone upside down to return to the home screen, tilt 90 degrees to the left and back to toggle speakerphone during a call
- create a Home widget to
- toggle bluetooth/wifi on/off
- launch wireless settings dialog
- show a menu of tasks to choose
- send an emergency SMS with your GPS location
- remap camera etc buttons to other applications, or show a menu of applications and/or actions
- zip/unzip application data on the fly when an application is launched/exits
- pause music playback while in a particular application, restart on exit
- change the Home icon for any application
- take a time-lapse photo series (possibly 'secretly')
- make a regular backup of a file on the SD card
- track your phone location via SMS in case of theft
- extend the use of the media button on your headset: take a picture from a distance or go to the previous media track with a long press
- record call times and destinations to the SD card
- show a popup when an SMS arrives from a particular phone number
- setup a birthday SMS to be sent months before it happens so you don't forget
- record battery levels over time to a file on SD card
- make automatic recordings of what you say during phone calls to SD card
- during the night, turn on airplane mode to conserve battery/reduce radiation, but turn it off every 15 minutes to check for SMS/voicemail.
- setup a vacation SMS message, with different messages for different callers
- launch a music application when headphones are connected