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for by Stan Swan Tech-Savvy Users With an Android smartphone, you can do so much more than make calls or send texts. For anyone into electronics, it can virtually be a test bench in your pocket. And then some! R emember when telephones sat on the desk or table, connected to the wall socket via a cable? And all they could do were make voice calls? Quaint as that may seem today, as little as 25 years ago it was said many countries were so deprived of wired infrastructure that half the world’s population (mostly in African and Asia) had never heard a phone ring. From the mid 1990s however the mobile phone, initially brick sized and oh-so-expensive, rapidly changed that! Plummeting size and price and improved battery life increased mobile phone uptake to the extent that it’s now rare to go to an urban area almost anywhere on the planet and not have cellular phone coverage. Prices have fallen so low (in some places as low as ~$10 for basic models) that ownership can be justified for even children and the impoverished. Home (fixed line) phone installation continues to fall – many people, particularly the younger and more “mobile”, rely solely on mobile phones, eschewing fixed line models and their rental and call costs. Even then, users often consider their near new mobile phones obsolete in as little as a few months and upgrade… in fact e-waste issues increasingly arise. Convenient as mobiles may be, for a good decade most were essentially just 14  Silicon Chip intended for voice or text messaging, with the internet’s parallel development almost co-incidental. It’s only been in the last ten years that more versatile ‘smart phones’ have emerged. Although Apple’s iPhone lead with their mass offerings, Google’s cheaper and more open Android operating system approach now commands most of the market. Mass production by numerous Asian makers (especially Korea’s Samsung who offer a nearbewildering range) has sent prices into near free fall. Some two billion Android-based devices (both smart phones and tablets) are likely to be in global use by late this year! “Smart” may well be an understatement! Inbuilt calculators, note pads, clocks, lights, Bluetooth, WiFi, GPS, digital and video cameras, radio, music and video players, high speed web browsing, email and bright touch screens are now considered the “norm” on today’s “all in one” smart phones. Inbuilt sensors for motion, magnetic fields and light are also common. Increasingly, they have multi-core CPUs, with more processing power than a typical home PC. Such horsepower may come with caution however, as a significant issues relate to the phones’ slim batteries. Although inbuilt rechargeable LiIon batteries is now the norm, ratings of just 2000mAh at 3.8V are typical. Many applications unwittingly run “in the background”, using power all the time. Unused applications should hence be turned off until needed, otherwise heavy device use (perhaps for GPS or games) may deny users even mere phone calls by day’s end. Android devices have thankfully, however, standardised on micro-USB charging sockets, so various portable and car chargers – even solar chargers can come to the rescue. Google Play Store Users are not limited to their devices’ initial applications. As surely anyone of tender years now well knows, Google have organised a repository of downloadable “apps” (applications) at their so-called GooglePlay site (formerly known as the Android Market). This may be accessed from either a smart phone “shopping bag” icon or via the web on another computer – https://play.google.com Exploring the Google Play site from a PC may be more convenient, as keyboard and mouse browsing allows an easier overview of offerings, reviews and alternatives than a smaller touch screen. To install it on your phone, you can either connect the phone to your PC or you can simply email the app’s siliconchip.com.au Helping to put you in Control IOIO Kit The SparkFun Inventor’s Kit for IOIO (SIKIO) provides 7 projects that allow you to control various pieces of external hardware with a IOIO-OTG. The kit contains: guidebook, IOIO-OTG board & cable, breadboard and electronic parts used in the guidebook SKU: SFK-005 Price:$103.44+GST Digit TLH Battery powered temperature & humidity logger that can store up to 260k readings. Up to 4 year battery life. 7 log intervals, 2 programmable alarm thresholds. Download to .csv files over USB to Windows based computer. IP53 enclosure included. SKU: LAJ-061 Price:$86+GST Tape Shield Kit For Arduino The KTA-292 is an easy to assemble tape dispenser for your Arduino. Arduino shield compatible. Supplied as kit, requires assembly. Red and Black electrical tape is included. Suits tape up to 40 mm wide. SKU: KTA-292 Price:$19.95+GST URL to your phone for installation at your leisure. What apps? More than a million apps are already available, with many either free or very low cost (ie, cents). Significant numbers are games orientated but productivity apps abound. If you can put up with occasional small adverts (usually chopped when WiFi is turned off), then classic (& novel) e-instruments may be had for free! Some are half-baked and of questionable appeal but they are tempting for skinflints and educational users. As most students will already have a smartphone, “BYOD” (Bring Your Own Device) versatility and bench clutter reduction benefits may arise. A brief selection of “e-apps” (electronic apps) are considered overleaf. Several are low-frequency audio slanted and use on-phone sensors, microphone and speaker. Given SILICON CHIP’S recent mailbag correspondence re mobile coverage there’s a focus on apps that have shown themselves very handy for WiFi and mobile phone setup and monitoring. We trialled these apps on a late2013, dual core Samsung Galaxy Ace 3 (GT-S7275R), under popular Android V4.2.2 “Jellybean” (Android operating system updates are alphabetically named after confectionery). Screen grabs on this model can be siliconchip.com.au made by pushing the home and power buttons together. After a few seconds a camera “snap” sound is heard and the shot is saved to the phone’s photo gallery. The file can then be sent to a PC as an email attachment. Readers are encouraged to browse Google’s Play site themselves for apps that suit their specific needs. The very nature of this extremely rapidly evolving field means the following selection may be soon dated, if it isn’t already! What, no smartphone? For those without a smartphone yet, (don’t fight it, it’s only a matter of time!) but keen to wet their feet perhaps you could consider PC emulators – an overview is given here: www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-ways-runandroid-apps-windows/ Of course, a PC may lack inbuilt sensors or a touch screen! Android phones and tablets however are so ubiquitous (with entry level models now laughably cheap) that there’s really little reason to put off purchase. Since even pre-school kids are increasingly comfortable with them, old timers should perhaps enlist their grandkids to instruct on screen swiping and selection techniques! Positive Adjustable PSU A compact, easy to use, positive variable power supply module. It is ideal for powering any application requiring a DC supply at current levels up to 1.5 amperes. Also available as a kit, negative adjustable PSU is also available. For dual-rail PSU, combine the positive and negative PSU. SKU: PSU-010 Price:$35+GST Ultrasonic Range Finder 5 m range, compact, IP67 ultrasonic rangefinder with 1 mm resolution. Analog voltage, pulse width and TTL serial outputs. For a limited time these are being discounted to clear excess stock. SKU: MXS-104 Price:$99+GST Serial Digital I/O Controller PC-based serial digital I/O controller is designed for control & sensing applications. It features 8 relay outputs, 4 optically isolated inputs and RS-232 interface. 5 to 24 VDC powered. SKU: KTA-108 Price:$115+GST Arduino Motor Shield This motor driver shield makes it easy to control 2 x 12 A (continuous) highpower DC motors with your Arduino or Arduino compatible board. It also features: current-sense feedback, custom Arduino pin mappings & accept ultrasonic PWM frequencies. 5.5 to 24 VDC powered. SKU: POL-2502 Price:$62.95+GST For OEM/Wholesale prices Contact Ocean Controls Ph: (03) 9782 5882 oceancontrols.com.au May 2014  15 Audio Test Gear Apps Some of these free apps are limited versions of the pay-for version. However, in most cases, the paid version is at most just a few dollars (or even cents!). Oscilloscope Responsive but limited to audio frequencies. With input via the microphone this app tends to entertainment value. (In a later article we hope to consider further use of the 4-pole headphone socket as a general I/O port for better CRO emulation and both sensing and serial data display.) https://play.google.com/store/ apps/details?id=com.xyz.scope FrequenSee A high audio frequency (to 20kHz) and fast responding sound frequency spectrum display. Sensitive, but the “fat” curve detracts. https://play.google.com/store/ apps/details?id=com.DanielBach.FrequenSee SpectralView An entrancing moving “curtain” (scrolling or wrapping) audio spectrum analyser. Although restricted to 8kHz for the free version, it could suit general AF insights – noise levels and tones, bird calls, “fuzzy” audio data (sequential multiple tone Hellschreiber, etc). https://play.google.com/store/ apps/details?id=radonsoft.net. spectralview 16  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au Other Test Gear Apps Pro Audio Tone Generator A simple but versatile audio frequency tone generator, capable of precise tone setting to 20kHz. The responsive “knob twiddler” style controls closely emulate similar workbench instruments, while independent left /right channels cater for amplifier testing. Ideal for casual hearing tests, dog training (!), physics lab work (acoustic resonance, beats etc) and perhaps even “give me a C” instrument tuning. https://play.google. com/store/apps/ details?id=com. dutchmatic.patone EMF meter GPS Status plus! Conveniently indicates navigation satellites available, but even with the inbuilt GPS off this still shows a handy compass, spirit level, accelerometer, battery status (plus temperature) and magnetic field measurement. h t t p s : / / p l a y. g o o g le.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.eclipsim. gpsstatus2 Live charts, along with x, y and z components, local magnetic and low frequency EM fields (The earth’s magnetic field – measured in tesla – ranges at the surface from 25 to 65 microtesla (= 0.25 to 0.65 gauss or 250-650 milligauss. Handy for ferrous object location, buried live wire detection or even for those concerned with low-frequency electromagnetic radiation in the home. Note: 10,000 Gauss (G) = 1 Tesla (T). A a strong fridge magnet has a field of about 100G = 0.010T. https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.superphunlabs.emf NOTE: both these apps require the smartphone to have a magnetometer fitted which some smartphones (particularly older models) may not have. D-I-Y Apps? App generation usually involves programming skills but Google’s open source App Inventor for Android uses a drag and drop graphical interface may ease the pain. MIT have taken over development. Refer http://explore.appinventor.mit.edu/ai2/beginner-videos siliconchip.com.au May 2014  17 WiFi Analysis WiFi Analyzer Due to the user’s enveloping hand, smart phone WiFi range is often much less than a more open tablet or laptop will offer. As WiFi access is often free and mobile data costly, this app can be an invaluable aid for sensing the nature and availability of nearby WLANs. Its multiple screens suit signal sweet spot location and even perhaps site auditing for the best positioning of a facility’s AP (access point) or antenna for optimum coverage. Highly recommended! https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.farproc.wifi.analyzer Google Sky Map Nothing to do with electronics . . . but perhaps the most magnificent night sky display available. Never confuse Jupiter with Mars again! Once set to your local location and time, it’s just held aloft for the live display to inform of the stars and planets above. https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.google.android.stardroid 18  Silicon Chip siliconchip.com.au WiFi, Mobile Network Analysis OpenSignal A well respected app for technical insights into both the direction and strength (as -dBm) of nearby cellular signals. Could be particularly useful for locating and mapping the best cellular access location (perhaps elevated) at an unfavourable location. Optionally also detects WiFi signals but the information given is perhaps less helpful that WiFi Analyzer. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com. farproc.wifi.analyzer Network Signal Strength The free version offers simple but perhaps clearer, cellular network insights. GSM strength is shown on a coloured 0-31 scale. Upgrading to the Pro version allows many extra features. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cls. networkwidget Useful Electronics Apps Electronics Basics This app is quite different from most of the apps online (and those shown in this feature) because the developers don’t own any of the content; instead they hand-pick it from a wide variety of different online sources. The result is an app full of electronics tutorial and training videos for you to learn from and enjoy. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details? id=com.thirtydaylabs.electronicstutorials Got a favourite “technical” app? Do you use an app that you think other SILICON CHIP readers would find useful? Let us know so we can let them know: email silicon<at>siliconchip.com.au siliconchip.com.au May 2014  19 Useful Electronics Apps ElectroDroid EveryCircuit This is an “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink” electronicsorientated app. It includes a bevy of calculators including those for Ohm’s law, reactance, resonance, RC filters, voltage dividers, series/parallel components, capacitor charge, op amp circuits, adjustable voltage regulator parameters, NE555 circuits, power dissipation, battery life... the list goes on. It also has various useful tables such as resistor colour codes, metal resisivity, wire size and current capacity, standard resistor/capacitor values, capacitor marking codes, circuit symbols, SMD package sizes, 7400 series logic IC configurations, … trust us, there’s a lot in it! Not surprising then that this is one of the most popular electronics-related Android apps. Also by the same people as ElectroDroid (and it integrates), this is a very visually-orientated simulator which incorporates many common types of circuits and shows you how they work. It’s great for beginners because you can see exactly where the current and voltage are flowing. Shown here is its demonstration of the step response of an RC low-pass filter. The free version can only demonstrate simple circuits; more complex circuits (labelled “Large”) require the paid version. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.android. demi.elettronica For convenience (and to save you typing them out!), links etc for all apps in this feature can be downloaded from www.manuka.orconhosting.net.nz/apps.htm 20  Silicon Chip https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.everycircuit.free siliconchip.com.au Circuit Simulation, Databases and Other Apps Droid Tesla PICmicro/ATmicro database Flight Radar24 Free A “SPICE” circuit simulator with a simple interface. This is a free version; you can pay to get extra features. Drawing the circuit is pretty easy although making connections between components can be a little awkward. Overall, the interface is easy to figure out. Great for checking out those circuit ideas on-the-go to see if they will work. https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=org.vlada.droidtesla Handy lists of all current Microchip or Atmel microcontrollers which can be sorted and filtered by various parameters such as memory size, number of pins, ADC inputs, package type and so on. Selecting a part gives its vital parameters and a link to the manufacturer website for access to the data sheet, etc. Popular parts also include a pinout diagram. h t t p s : / / p l a y. g o o g l e . c o m / s t o r e / a p p s / details?id=it.android.demi.elettronica.db.pic Yes, we know we’ve talked about this one before (see SILICON CHIP, August 2013) but it’s so good it’s worth including again in case you missed it! You can see, in real time, where every commercial aircraft is at any time, anywhere in the world with this remarkable app. See the plane’s height, route, speed, climb, origin and destination and much more! https://play.google.com/store/apps/ details?id=com.flightradar24free SC “Rigol Offer Australia’s Best Value Test Instruments” RIGOL DS-1000E Series NEW RIGOL DS-1000Z Series NEW RIGOL DS-2000 Series 50MHz & 100MHz, 2 Ch 1GS/s Real Time Sampling USB Device, USB Host & PictBridge 70MHz & 100MHz, 4 Ch 1GS/s Real Time Sampling 12Mpts Standard Memory Depth 70MHz, 100MHz & 200MHz, 2 Ch 2GS/s Real Time Sampling 14Mpts Standard Memory Depth FROM $ 339 ex GST FROM $ 654 ex GST FROM $ 934 Buy on-line at www.emona.com.au/rigol siliconchip.com.au ex GST May 2014  21