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Is anyone using apps on their phones for CPC development?

Started by mr_lou, 16:20, 17 June 18

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mr_lou

I'm curious to know if anyone is using their phones or other small devices they carry with them, for creating CPC or other retro stuff.

Like for example, one of the many sprite editors you can get for Android.

Or maybe a music creator app?

Which apps are you using and for what?


Thanks!

Targhan

Not a single one! I don't know how you can produce anything with these when you have the comfort/power of desktop PC. But I'm probably of the old generation :).
Targhan/Arkos

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mr_lou

Quote from: Targhan on 17:30, 17 June 18
Not a single one! I don't know how you can produce anything with these when you have the comfort/power of desktop PC. But I'm probably of the old generation :) .
Obviously everyone will use their desktop PC when at home.
But when sitting on the bus, or in the waiting-room, or a similar situation where you just have to wait - then it's nice to be able to at least do something. Like for example some graphics mockups. Or maybe even level-design.

I was checking out PaintCAD for Sony Ericsson W995 just now. Let's me create pixelgraphics on my rather old phone.

Targhan

QuoteObviously everyone will use their desktop PC when at home.


Well actually, no. Many people don't have desktops anymore to work, and are content with iPads and the like (or "decks" on which mobiles can be attached, with remote keyboard, mouse and screen).


But I actually bought a tablet with a Smart Pen to write down ideas, draw schemas and stuff. Very nice.
Targhan/Arkos

Arkos Tracker 2.0.1 now released! - Follow the news on Twitter!
Disark - A cross-platform Z80 disassembler/source converter
FDC Tool 1.1 - Read Amsdos files without the system

Imperial Mahjong
Orion Prime

mr_lou

Quote from: Targhan on 08:22, 18 June 18Well actually, no. Many people don't have desktops anymore to work, and are content with iPads and the like (or "decks" on which mobiles can be attached, with remote keyboard, mouse and screen).

Ah, like that. Yea, I don't understand that either.

Quote from: Targhan on 08:22, 18 June 18But I actually bought a tablet with a Smart Pen to write down ideas, draw schemas and stuff. Very nice.

Sounds nice indeed!

I carry with me my Ericsson MC218 pocket computer for writing stuff. Even wrote some of the content for 8-bit Memoirs on it. Now all I need on it is a CPC emulator, so I can develop a BASIC game when sitting on the bus.  ;)

I'm thinking about creating a little app for cellphones though, to create CPC graphics, with export options like BASIC SYMBOL commands (4-color MODE 2, 16-color MODE 1, and standard modes too of course) and of course also as a byte array.
But it's the usual problem: Lots of ideas. No time.

Bryce

Despite owning a relatively new smart phone with massive screen, phones just aren't suitable for anything that requires a lot of user input. Content consumption / reading / videos are all fine, but if the job involves anything that requires any user input beyond scribbling or choosing a few option buttons, then that job is just going to take longer and be more frustrating.In my case of course, the software I need to use just doesn't exist for mobile devices. And that's good, because if I had to create a schematic and route a PCB on a phone or tablet I would probably go mad.

Bryce.

mr_lou

Quote from: Bryce on 09:16, 18 June 18
Despite owning a relatively new smart phone with massive screen, phones just aren't suitable for anything that requires a lot of user input. Content consumption / reading / videos are all fine, but if the job involves anything that requires any user input beyond scribbling or choosing a few option buttons, then that job is just going to take longer and be more frustrating.

We definitely agree that it has to be suitable for phone use.
Pixelgraphics creation should be fairly simple, I think. Select a color, then draw by clicking each square in the grid.

Quote from: Bryce on 09:16, 18 June 18In my case of course, the software I need to use just doesn't exist for mobile devices. And that's good, because if I had to create a schematic and route a PCB on a phone or tablet I would probably go mad.

If I do a search for "schematics" on Google Appstore, then there are a few results for circuit creation. I can't imagine you'd go mad from using such an app. All it really needs, is to be compatible with the tools you're already using on your PC. But selecting and placing components, and drawing lines to connect them? Seems to me that qualifies as "scribbling or choosing a few option buttons". But I of course don't know, as I haven't played with such apps since school.



Bryce

With no disrespect, you wildly underestimate the process of creating a schematic. Even on a PC you need two very large screens to do it properly. At any given time, I will have at least the schematic editor, a calculator, a routing calculator, a layout editor, a BOM sheet and 4 or 5 pdf Datasheets all open on the desktop. It may look like a pretty picture full of components and lines joining them when it's finished, but it's not graphics, it requires an aweful lot of parallel calculating and referencing technical documentation, which a tiny phone and even the best apps will never achieve.

I don't even try to do schematics on a laptop when I'm travelling.


Bryce.

mr_lou

Quote from: Bryce on 10:32, 18 June 18
With no disrespect, you wildly underestimate the process of creating a schematic.

Yes well, as I said, the last time I had a go with such an app was back in school. The kind of work I did wouldn't be a problem to do also on a cellphone.  ;)
That was of course also just very small circuits.

I think it also depends on the person. Don't think that I'm one of those dudes who wants to be able to do whatever on my phone. I'm not. But I've met people who's gone out of their way to port various apps to cellphones, just to be able to work in these apps on-the-go. And I'm puzzled, because I can't imagine how such an app would be useful at all on a phone - but these dudes apparently think so. One great example is music-trackers. How on earth do you use one of those on a phone???

Although, I do imagine I could create an app simple enough to be usable for creating CPC BASIC music...  :)

Bryce

Just for example sake, this is what my screens would look like at home (3 screen setup) while developing. Behind these windows are further PDFs and a browser open (including CPCWiki as I usually post while working on schematics or repairing things). If the project includes firmware such as with a CPLD or a µP, I may even have the programming software open too. I use Notepad as a to do list so that I don't forget to reconnect something or make certain changes later. Do all that on a phone?!


I did look into schematic viewers for the phone, but a simple printout that I can scribble notes on seems to be much more valuable.

Bryce.


mr_lou

Quote from: Bryce on 10:57, 18 June 18I did look into schematic viewers for the phone, but a simple printout that I can scribble notes on seems to be much more valuable.

Well that counts too.
I'm not asking if anyone feels like replacing their desktop computer with a phone and do all their work on a phone.
Just curious to know if anyone is using phones or other smaller devices for any kind of (CPC related) creativity or productivity. And scribbling notes does count too I think.

Gryzor

Last Christmas I bought the wife an ultra-wide 29" monitor. At first, and every time you come from another monitor, you get a huge wow factor, but let me tell you - work with it for a few hours and a traditional 16:9 is just not enough. And the difference is vastly bigger between a desktop setup and a phone or tablet...

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