238 votes
Bluetooth Condition
Create a new condition to change settings based on a Bluetooth MAC address being in range.
Android 2.0 finally adds APIs that would allow apps like Locale to implement a "Bluetooth Condition." If this were implemented, it would only be available on Android 2.0 phones.
Update: There are some Android bugs that will prevent this from being implemented for the time being. Specifically, we've found that Bluetooth will periodically crap out until the phone is rebooted.
masterjo
thx for the update on this one - could you please post the according android-bugs so we can star the pertaining issues and get active in the community?
that would be very kind!
gerrowadat
Afraid not -- the Bluetooth SDK only really started working in 2.1+
andocromn
it sucks that it will only work in 2.0, my motorola backflip is only 1.5. is there anyway to detect if a device is connected? if my car radio is in on / in range / connected to my phone, is the perfect way to tell if i'm driving in my car.
gerrowadat
Thanks for the feedback. I got a report it doesn't work on the samsung moment. Would love if someone was able to reproduce it.
jsimbol
@gerrowadat - your plugin works great on my Motorola Droid. I have a driving condition that enables certain programs and changes volumes when my bluetooth headset is connected (the only time i use it is when driving). Thanks so much!
EarlyMorningHours
The new Bluetooth plugin is working flawlessly on my N1 paired to the built-in BT in my Toyota Prius. Using the plugin I made a situation called "Driving" that enables GPS, updates my Gtalk status and enables Say My Name (for some reason the N1 does not forward caller ID info to the Prius display). Now if I could just have Locale switch to the Maps Live Wallpaper and find a proper car dock for the N1, I'll be in techo-nirvana.
gerrowadat
Bluetooth locale plugin is now on the market as of this evening. Feedback welcomed.
Bear in mind it won't detect stuff that is connected when you first install the app, but will work fine after that.
gerrowadat
Detecting connects and disconnects is easy -- it's just an action, the default android API presents it.
Being able to straight up ask the phone "Is this MAC in range" is more complex -- It's not really doable with the default API.
I've hacked together a plugin I've been using for a little while that is met if the phone is connected to -any- paired device. It works pretty well, but bear in mind that all I have to test is a nexus one, running whatever the standard OTA build is.
I'll mak... more
Detecting connects and disconnects is easy -- it's just an action, the default android API presents it.
Being able to straight up ask the phone "Is this MAC in range" is more complex -- It's not really doable with the default API.
I've hacked together a plugin I've been using for a little while that is met if the phone is connected to -any- paired device. It works pretty well, but bear in mind that all I have to test is a nexus one, running whatever the standard OTA build is.
I'll make it so you can select from a list of your paired devices and release it in the next few days. It's useful for me in this exact way, using in the car.
scott reston
Edward Kim's Car Locator app has a plugin that detects a disconnect from a particular bluetooth ID. That suggests it's doable and reasonably stable, no?
asq.japan
Definetly usefull! You have your phone next to your pc and could start sync files by bluetooth automatically
joshua.purcell
Aside from the benefits of changing usage methods while in the car, I think it would also be useful to have my laptop (or any computer) automatically lock or unlock based on me (and my phone) being near enough to connect via bluetooth.
neilfred
I use a2dp in my car, but it gets all skippy if wifi is turned on, so I'd like to automatically turn off wifi when connected to the a2dp device.
Chris Krough
I also think this would be great to allow me to make an "In my car" situation, better than the driving situation (movement based), since that one applies to too many situations.
Scott
I'm happy that others are looking for this as well. I would actually like to utilize the Bluetooth condition...
I would like to make it so entering my car (phone auto-syncs to BT) would turn my phone to vibrate if it is a workday between the hours of 7am and 4pm. This way, my phone would always be on vibrate when at the office and I would not have to worry about the delay of the location setting. This would work really nicely when in the car also since my car has its own ringer.
Actually, I wond... more
I'm happy that others are looking for this as well. I would actually like to utilize the Bluetooth condition...
I would like to make it so entering my car (phone auto-syncs to BT) would turn my phone to vibrate if it is a workday between the hours of 7am and 4pm. This way, my phone would always be on vibrate when at the office and I would not have to worry about the delay of the location setting. This would work really nicely when in the car also since my car has its own ringer.
Actually, I wonder if it is possible to have the phone check location apon leaving the car. That way the ringer would always be off in the car, and the phone would know precisely when to check if I am at work or not.
It would work like this: Enter car, phone goes to silent. Leave car (@ office), phone goes to vibrate. Enter car, phone goes to silent. Leave car (@ home or anywhere else), phone goes to ringer.
This is we be PERFECT.
Thoughts?
Christiaan Conover
@Carter true, though 2.0 should be rolling out to many more devices within a few months, so why not introduce it so that it's available to devices running 2.0? You could at least get some test feedback before widespread use of 2.0.
tash.hepting
Combine this with Car-Dock detection and the disable lock-screen plugin already available, and you could disable the lock code when you're in your own car. Would be nice...
bf
I would like to see cascading support for multiple BT definitions. So when BT car headset condition is met, pair with that headset. Otherwise, allow the BT pairing with the regular wireless BT headset.
snrsuave
This would be cool to have to detect when your phone is in the car. By detecting the car kit BT connection, you could have Locale set the volumes louder and perhaps even turn off auto-sync since you can't (or shouldn't) be reading email in the car.
Sturmeh
Carter the G1 may very well be getting Android 2.0, whether or not it will run optimally or mobile carriers will choose to push it is irrelevant.
jpalo
Exactly the same thoughts as cfuertes. Pretty please!