[WIDGET][2.1+] XKCD Now Home Screen Widget

Shef_ · Mar 4, 2014

Hi,

So this is my first time posting an app/widget to the forums. After seeing xkcd.com/now, I thought it deserved to be made into a widget that doesn't require internet connection, so I used this project to learn how to make android widgets. Turns out it's simpler than I thought.

To read this widget you have to find your location on the inside Earth map, and compare its location to the 24 hour clock on the outside.

Here is a more in depth explanation.

All of xkcd.com is creative commons so there shouldn't be a problem with distributing this app.

Here is the play store URL: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.reshefelisha.xkcdnowwidget

In the attached screenshot you can see how it works. I'm in the US West Coast, so it gives you a demonstration of how to read the clock.

Enjoy

Shef_ · Mar 9, 2014

So this somehow made the front page of XDA, I'm honoured, but I'd like to remind everyone that this is just an adaptation of xkcd.com/now , and doesn't account for DST. It's funny that it made the front page on the day that DST takes effect, though.

I'll try to make an update that corrects it partially.

Mahalio · Mar 9, 2014

Shef_ said:
So this somehow made the front page of XDA, I'm honoured, but I'd like to remind everyone that this is just an adaptation of xkcd.com/now , and doesn't account for DST. It's funny that it made the front page on the day that DST takes effect, though.

I'll try to make an update that corrects it partially.

Don't do timezone adaptions.

Europe goes into DST in 3 weeks.

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5wpm-gesOY

Shef_ · Mar 9, 2014

Mahalio said:
Don't do timezone adaptions.

Europe goes into DST in 3 weeks.

See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5wpm-gesOY

I'm planning to have a checkbox to enable/disable DST. If it's enabled the whole map rotates 15 degrees. If it's disabled it stays normal.

benkxda · Mar 9, 2014

Shef_ said:
I'm planning to have a checkbox to enable/disable DST. If it's enabled the whole map rotates 15 degrees. If it's disabled it stays normal.

Very useful to stay in contact with friends from XDA, Google+ and other networks. Really handy app, sir. But please do me a favor and change the font into something "normal"

. And the option for enabling/disabling DST is a good idea, as well. Grand idea!

r1c47 · Mar 9, 2014

Why is it 26MB?

Shef_ · Mar 9, 2014

r1c47 said:
Why is it 26MB?

It's the way Randall Muroe first coded it. it has to contain 96 pictures and picks one every 15. Kind of a bummer. Here's the source if you're suspicious that it does more than it claims: https://github.com/Shef-/XKCDNowWidget

Shef_ · Mar 9, 2014

Added Live Wallpaper and DST support

I added a live wallpaper and the option for DST. It's all part of the same app so that you only need to download the 26mb file once and all resources are shared.

Spincervino · Mar 10, 2014

Nice Widget, but I have a suggestion:
For shrinking apk size you just need to compress .png files better

Using "PNGGauntlet" I just got the "xkdc01.png" from 272,44 KB to 195,95.
That's 72% of original image size, without any loss of quality!
That, would be taking down the app weight to about 20mb if I did the maths correctly.
And it's lossless: its just better algorithms re-encoding the png files and removing extra information unneeded for the image.
You can use any program you like, i used PNGGauntlet just because it's so easy to use, and works good enough for me!
A little downside: re-encoding takes time, and in olds computer a lot of time, but in my opinion, for something like this, its worth it.
Bye!

Shef_ · Mar 10, 2014

Spincervino said:
Nice Widget, but I have a suggestion:
For shrinking apk size you just need to compress .png files better
Using "PNGGauntlet" I just got the "xkdc01.png" from 272,44 KB to 195,95.
That's 72% of original image size, without any loss of quality!
That, would be taking down the app weight to about 20mb if I did the maths correctly.
And it's lossless: its just better algorithms re-encoding the png files and removing extra information unneeded for the image.
You can use any program you like, i used PNGGauntlet just because it's so easy to use, and works good enough for me!
A little downside: re-encoding takes time, and in olds computer a lot of time, but in my opinion, for something like this, its worth it.
Bye!

I'll definitely look into it, thanks for telling me

ahmed.s · Mar 10, 2014

Spincervino said:
Nice Widget, but I have a suggestion:
For shrinking apk size you just need to compress .png files better
Using "PNGGauntlet" I just got the "xkdc01.png" from 272,44 KB to 195,95.
That's 72% of original image size, without any loss of quality!
That, would be taking down the app weight to about 20mb if I did the maths correctly.
And it's lossless: its just better algorithms re-encoding the png files and removing extra information unneeded for the image.
You can use any program you like, i used PNGGauntlet just because it's so easy to use, and works good enough for me!
A little downside: re-encoding takes time, and in olds computer a lot of time, but in my opinion, for something like this, its worth it.
Bye!

is there any alternative for that app on ubuntu/linux?

---------- Post added at 10:00 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:51 AM ----------

ahmed.s said:
is there any alternative for that app on ubuntu/linux?

Opps,they mention trimage on there website as an alternative for linux, thank you.

Spincervino · Mar 10, 2014

Shef_ said:
I'll definitely look into it, thanks for telling me

No problem, if you want some help to re-encode them, i could also give a hand in that

ahmed.s said:
is there any alternative for that app on ubuntu/linux?

---------- Post added at 10:00 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:51 AM ----------

Opps,they mention trimage on there website as an alternative for linux, thank you.

Well, i didn't know trimage.. so thank you!

ahmed.s · Mar 10, 2014

Spincervino said:
Well, i didn't know trimage.. so thank you!

it works very well, helped me to save more than 2MB from my app

Shef_ · Mar 10, 2014

Wow, I used PNGGauntlet and it went from 25.6Mb to 18.1. I'll include the optimized png's in the next update.

doghous · Mar 11, 2014

Great job! Really nice widget!
As I live in NL but I'm originally from Greece and I travel very often to the US (and have email/phone conversations pretty often with people @ US), this will be very handy!!!
Just installed it on all my android devices!

knistertoni · Mar 13, 2014

Very nice app!
is it possible to change the font and make this whole thing more...ummm more transparent? it´s very useful, but it still looks like a comic...

btw: in the playstore are now about 2 more apps like yours

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