[Android][1.0][2.0] Pebble Bike

NicJackson

Hi,

Since the 2 way SDK has come out I have been working on a little App to replicate the functionality offered by a standard handle bar mounted cycling computer.    The app automatically detects when you are cycling and switches your pebble into cycling computer mode displaying speed, distance and average speed.  I have been testing the app on my commute to work today and it seems to be working pretty good.  The app is not intended as a replacement for Strava or Runkeeper, personally when I am training I will use Strava to record my data and Strava have indicated a desire to integrate with pebble.  I wrote this as I wanted a quick way to show my speed and distance when commuting or just cycling for fun and to show speed as a stopgap until Strava implements this functionality.

When not cycling the battery drain is next to nothing so it is possible to leave this app running 24/7 without any negative affect to the battery.

Over the last couple of days I have a pretty good proof of concept running the following work is complete:

1.  Android app recognises you are cycling and switches the pebble to the Cycling computer watch face.

2.  GPS enabled on the phone and data sent to custom pebble app.

3.  Android app recognises you are no longer cycling and shuts down custom pebble app returning to time.

4.  GPS automatically disable on the phone saving battery when not cycling.

5.  Tested on Android 4.1

ToDo:

1.  Finalise styling to custom watch app.

2.  Add settings to android app to manually disable automatic detection (possible currently by closing app).

3.  Add option to disable app when run keeper is active.

4. Implement compatibility for Android 2.2+

Wish list:

1.  Route planning and turn by turn on the pebble powered by google maps

2.  Compatibility with bluetooth heart rate monitors.

3.  Automatically send data to Fitbit or Jawbone Up for more accurate activity data.

4.  Possibly integration with Strava / Runkeeper

Give me a couple of days more testing and I should have something a little stable for people to try out and I will post the watch face and android app for you all.

ImanuelVotteler

This sounds great! Might even cause me to get my bike out of the back of the garage...

RideTi

Great! Can you make an option within your automatic settings to launch the display when the app is opened? Then android users could launch it with tasker via one of the tasker-enabled watch apps, or when tasker recognizes a cycling app has been launched.

So you're using the sports display now, but you're writing a watchapp? (Based on "switches the to the Cycling computer watch face")

Can't wait to see it.

JonasHeikkila

Sounds intriguing, I ride my bike daily and have lost my bike computer so I will gladly try this

NicJackson

Hi Jason,

I will be building an iOS version too, just can't build the automatic activity detection as this feature is not possible on iOS, you will manually have too start the activity.

Plan to look at this next week.

Nic

Keule01

Very nice!

ReinhardMitschang

will there be an option for Android users, to disable the automatic cycling-recognition and only start / stop manually?

NicJackson

Yes, absolutely will be building this in.

mmace

I'd love this, 2 questions though

1) could I still use runkeeper on the phone at the same time? (I keep all my runs & cycles logged on there)

2) could you make it so it doesn't turn GPS off when you're finished? (I always have location reporting on my phone)

KilianGulich

I want this in my life. Could you perhaps include an altitude curve? The turn by turn function you are describing has long been something I'd like to have/develop.

Keule01

Kilian Gülich said:

I want this in my life. Could you perhaps include an altitude curve? The turn by turn function you are describing has long been something I'd like to have/develop.

me to!

NicJackson

@mmace - yes and yes

mark reed

sounds ace. quick question - how does it detect you're cycling? is it by speed/movement or something else, or via a sensor on a wheel - like other bike computers? just wondered, no big deal.

AnaAlipit

Just got my Pebble today and so excited for this.  Go Nic!!!

NicJackson

It works with GPS to detect speed so no extras other than a phone and a pebble.

Tested again on my way home and I have a few bugs to iron out but a beta will be here for the weekend.

NicJackson

@kilian good idea, could use the buttons on the watch to switch display from speed settings to altitude, time etc same as Garmin does.

NicJackson

You might have to wait a few more days for the iOS version as I would have to push it to the app store but if your willing to beta test there may be a way.

bn326160

What is wrong with run keeper? It can keep track of your cycling workouts.

Kelvin

Very keen to do any beta testing on a galaxy s3

NicJackson

Not sure if the run keeper app has speed or if it is still displaying pace.  The app i am building is not designed as a replacement to runkeeper but a generic cycling computer replacement.

I might have an hour or two tonight, I forgot to check in my code on my work computer so I cant work on my Android app so i might give a simple iOS app a go with the SDK.

NicJackson

I've managed to do a little work tonight but its quite late now so i need a little sleep.

I plan to make this project open source so I have posted the code in github here... https://github.com/nicholasjackson/PebbleCyclingComputer-iOS

I have not had a chance to check my code but the basics look like they are there currently i have implemented basic speed and will test this on my commute tomorrow morning.  If this works its fairly straight forward to add the average speed and total distance which i can probably do tomorrow.

The pebble SDK is really good, pebble you have done a good job.

NicJackson

I can upload the PBW to google drive link below, i have just pushed a new fix as when i tried to run on my phone it bailed badly.

PBW Link:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B28ptpodSskadlUtSDFRaF9QNFk/edit?usp=sharing

This now runs on my phone, switched to the watch face and sends the speed but the GPS data might be a bit dodgy until i ride to work tomorrow i wont know.

Nic

NicJackson

Just jumped through hells hoops to sort out my distribution cert. Latest added to git seems not to build with Mac build server tho.

IPA here: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B28ptpodSskac2lNZGl0a0RMMmc/edit?usp=sharing

Forewarning there is lots to do with this app but for a nights work...

NicJackson

Watch face is a bit rubbish at the moment will sort that tonight.

JonasHeikkila

Just installed it, will try it when going home in 5 hours.

M

can you share an android preview too?

no hoop jumping required for that.

i'm quite excited about your project.

some weeks ago i was thinking about acquiring a bike computer, just for the current speed, as that's something that i can't get yet. (i use endomondo but am using runkeeper too, just to send data to pebble...)

NicJackson

I tested myself on the way to work, bit of latency when you stop moving, not sure if this is GPS or pebble buffer. I will finish the watch face tonight and add avg speed/ distance. Android has a few bugs, give me till sat and I will share. Nic

Frederik

If you're going to add Bluetooth HR support, could you then add Bluetooth Speed and Cadence support aswell?

NicJackson

I think for a hardware manufacturer its better to provide a good SDK or API as Pebble have done rather than spend time building apps.  It would be too easy to spend the time and effort creating apps which although satisfying the majority there would always be a feature which would be missing.  By concentrating on SDK development they offset the work on creating Apps but actually the end result is that there will be more Apps and this will satisfy a larger spectrum of users.  Apple and Google are much larger organisations they have thousands of engineers, Pebble will only have a handful.  Besides, remember when iOS had no app store, sure the Apple apps were of very high quality but it was still a bit rubbish, the SDK totally transformed that platform.

The SDK and examples are very good and both Android and iOS development using them is quick and easy.  Even creating watch faces is painless everything is there so you can develop the idea not spend time building framework code.

In my opinion this may have taken a while but it has been worth the wait.

julien

Hey, is there someone able to deal with notification from google maps in france (e.g. get vibration of the twist)?
can't get it working here (and already search in the forum) -
any help would be great thanks
(non jb iphone 5)

NicJackson

Yes, I have not implemented the average speed or distance.  The watch face looks like cr@p at the moment, I have only coded this functionally, going to do this tonight so I will push an update which has all these features for you.  I actually built the watch face on the plane home on Monday and had no way of testing.  As it turns out I need to learn a little more about Fonts and the pebble

I have not tested this and I will on my way home but I am 99% positive that you can use this app with Strava, because they both use the GPS there should be no additional drain on the battery.

I am also planning to implement an additional page on the watch face which would show time,  and a couple of other things (TBD) which could be switched from a button on the pebble.