GetBlue Bluetooth SPP Problems: Android Troubleshooting

Bluetooth SPP Data Acquisition

GetBlue is an Android App which captures data from a data-source (Bluetooth SPP, TCP and Camera Scanners) and forwards the collected data to an adjustable data-sink (TCP, HTTP, File, Display, Online Spreadheets provided by Google Docs, GetBlue virtual keyboard). Data collection is done completely in the background.

Bluetooth SPP Connection Problems

Recently some users reported problems when using Bluetooth SPP (Serial Port Profile) devices with GetBlue: A Bluetooth SPP device can be paired without problems but GetBlue is unable to connect to it.

A Possible Solution

In order to avoid the connection problems please do the following in EXACTLY the given order:

a) Disable all GetBlue functions: Set datasink to "None", do NOT use keyboard output and deactivate the GetBlue keyboard in Android settings (required only if previously enabled).
b) Reboot the phone
c) Enable Bluetooth
d) Pair the Bluetooth device with your handset (Android settings)
e) Start GetBlue
f) Adjust datasource - select the device just paired
g) Press start in GetBlue

Background

The reason for this nasty behavior is a buggy Bluetooth implementation in the firmware of the handsets. HTC Desire, HTC Legend, HTC Wildfire, SonyEricson X10, Samsung Galaxy S and possibly more models are affected.
Google G1, G2 and Motorola Milestone work perfectly.

Please let us know your smart-phone model if you are experiencing this bug. We will update the list above accordingly.

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Video: Android Bluetooth SPP Connectivity for All Apps

TEC-IT released a short video on YouTube which demonstrates the use of the Bluetooth Reader GetBlue.

You will learn how to configure GetBlue in order to be used as Bluetooth software wedge. The Bluetooth barcode scanner must be paired with your Android handset, then it is adjusted as input device for GetBlue. As data-sink (the target application for the scanned data) the GetBlue Keyboard is selected. Using this configuration  it is possible to inject captured barcode scanner data as virtual user input into each application.

See for yourself:



GetBlue acts as "middleware" between hardware and apps. Thus, each (legacy) Bluetooth bar code scanner supporting the serial port profile can be used.

The video quality is satisfying - but far away from perfect. We will produce a HD video with sound in the near future. In the meantime we are awaiting your video comments!

Many thanks!

Video: How to use Bluetooth Barcode Scanners with Android

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Google and the QR Barcode

Because we are Google's BFF (and huge G1 phone nerds) we love to see the big G dabble in the barcode arts. Offering a new sort of checkout to Google merchants/Android users, a QR barcode is generated live at online ordering, the buyer scans with their Android phone and completes the payment that way.A little convoluted for my taste (okay, a lot convoluted for my taste), and really nowhere near

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Bluetooth Data Acquisition with Android

UPDATE: Bluetooth/TCP Reader GetBlue for Android™ 

TEC-IT (http://www.tec-it.com) published version 0.5 of GetBlue!

GetBlue is a smart application which communicates with Bluetooth and TCP/IP devices. The new version supports bi-directional device communication. 

In addition to its simple TELNET like functionality, GetBlue captures serial Bluetooth (SPP/RFCOMM) or TCP data, displays it in a log window and forwards the collected data to an arbitrary server application. Data forwarding works even in the background or when changing screen orientation. Manually entered user data or server responses are sent then back to the device. 

All important communication parameters are adjustable: GetBlue can easily be configured to capture Bluetooth barcode data and forward it to a web-application via

• HTTP GET requests
• HTTP Post requests
• Plain TCP sockets 

In addition it can be adjusted whether server responses should be sent back to the device. Using these features GetBlue can be configured for automated data acquisition or working as TCP/Bluetooth proxy. Bi-directional communication scenarios like the following are covered with the free demo version:

1. The Android device captures barcodes with a Bluetooth barcode scanner 
2. GetBlue forwards the scanned barcodes to your server application
3. The server responds - for example - with a status code (like data accepted or data not accepted)
4. GetBlue sends the server-respone back to the barcode scanner

Give it a try - Android Market Link.

Note: The free demo version replaces forwarded data sometimes with a demo text. All other features are completely unrestricted.

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TCP and Bluetooth Reader for Android™

TEC-IT joined the Android™ Community!

TEC-IT (http://www.tec-it.com) published GetBlue - its first free App for Android smartphones!

GetBlue is a smart application which communicates with Bluetooth and TCP/IP devices. The user is able to connect to arbitrary Bluetooth devices supporting the Serial Port Profile (SPP), receive and display device data immediately and finally to send manually entered data or control commands to the device. In addition to Bluetooth SPP GetBlue supports connectivity via TCP sockets.

We encourage you to give it a try! GetBlue is completely free and is intended as debugging/testing tool for Android users. When browsing the Android Market with your handset just search for the term GetBlue!

The screen-shot shows barcode data scanned with a Bluetooth barcode scanner paired with a Google G1. GetBlue is available for Android 1.5, 1.6, 2.0 or higher. It was tested with Google G1 and Motorola Milestone/Motorola Droid. For more information get in touch with us - visit www.tec-it.com.

UPDATE 09/04/2010:
We just released an update with the following new features:
- Save to File (save received device data to an arbitrary text file)
- Copy to Clipboard
- No more demo dialogs, this version of GetBlue is completely unlimited (and still free).

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Google Ventures Into the Physical World

By using, of course, barcodes. The big G has "..launched a new effort to send window decals to over 100,000 local businesses in the U.S. that have been the most sought out and researched on Google.com and Google Maps".Locate the 2D barcode decal at a participating store, snap it with your phone's barcode reader, follow the URL link to the web and behold: store hours, user reviews, special offers,

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Google Bar Code

It seems that Google is trying to educate the world with bar code know how.

As of 10/07/2009 the start page of Google displays a bar-code instead the usual Google logo.

If you click on the bar code image you get search results for the term "Bar Code" (in google.com) or "Strichcode" (in Germany/Austria).

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Free Barcodes for OpenOffice

Part 2: How to generate barcodes with OpenOffice. Also check out part 1: Using Barcodes in Google Docs

Introduction

OpenOffice is a free software suite which mimics (more or less) Microsoft Office. In Microsoft Office bar-code creation is possible via various methods (using barcode fonts, pre-created barcode images or by using a barcode add-in like TBarCode). Until now no quality bar-code add-ins are available for OpenOffice and 2D barcode creation using fonts is terrible. So I'll outline a possibility to create bar-codes without any barcode fonts and without any additional barcode software.

How to Create OpenOffice Barcodes for Free

To generate bar codes (ALL barcodes - meaning linear barcodes, 2D barcodes like DataMatrix and GS1 DataBar codes) all you need is an internet connection. The basic idea is to insert an barcode image generated by the online barcode generator of TEC-IT. This barcode generator is customizable via the URL - so it is possible to create each bar-code as required.

Note: Works on Windows only!

1) Create the required barcode using the online barcode generator
2) Scroll down to the section "Free Use of This Barcode Generator". Copy the URL (see screenshot below) into your clipboard:



3) Start OpenOffice Writer
4) Create a new document (File -> New)
5) Insert a Picture from a File (Insert -> Picture -> From File)
6) Copy the URL as created in step 2 into the filename
7) Press Enter, FINISHED

That's all. Steps 5 to 7 are outlined in the screen-shot below.

How Does it Work?

The barcode image is created online at TEC-IT.COM, you do not need to store the image locally on your hard-drive (Windows takes care of this automatically), you do not need to install software - and you can trust the generated bar-code (it will be correct!). You can open this document on each computer, the bar-code will always be visible (and printable). Of course - internet connectivity is required.
Another point of interest: This method works for all programs part of the OpenOffice suite.

Optimizing the Barcode

In order to ensure perfect readability of the bar-codes you may need to play around with the settings (especially barcode resolution and module width). readability depends on barcode symbology, data density - and of course your output device. I recommend you to create the bar-code with at least 300 dpi. Important: Whenever possible DO NOT scale the resulting bar-code image in OpenOffice.

Example

URL used: http://www.tec-it.com/online-demos/tbarcode/barcode.aspx?code=DataMatrix&data=Powered+by+TEC-IT&dpi=300&rotation=0&modulewidth=fit
Barcode: DataMatrix ECC200

Interested?

If you like this method for barcode creation with OpenOffice you can use the online barcode generator for free (for non-commercial use only). For commercial users TEC-IT recommends a local barcode server in the companies intranet.

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Lost Privacy?

Compared to the remaining entries of this blog, this one is completely off-topic: it covers the Google service Web-History, Google's Chrome browser and privacy.

Personally, most of the time I am using the Chrome browser and I am logged on with my Google account. At some time in the past I have decided to try Google's Web-History service (in German it is named Google Webprotokoll).

A few days ago I checked the entries in the web-history service. Surprise, surprise - the service works as expected ;-). Google lists each search term I have entered in Google. Thousand of entries were stored for my account - back till 2007.

Because of this huge amount of search terms I decided to delete them. I also found time to check out Google's privacy policy regarding the Web-History service in detail. Unfortunately the privacy policy of Google provides no details - it is quite unclear:

"You can delete information from Web History using the remove feature, and it will be removed from the service. However, as is common practice in the industry, and as outlined in the Google Privacy Policy, Google maintains a separate logs system for auditing purposes and to help us improve the quality of our services for users."

What does this mean? Is Google able to rebuild my search data from the mentioned log services? Is Google able to assign such a reconstructed search history to my Google account (and thus to my person)?

If the answer is NO: everything is fine because I am in control of the data. But what if the answer is YES?

Now to the second point. Chrome is the name of the superb browser from Google. It was already blamed in the past for sending data home (the data you enter in the address/search field of the browser).

Upon installation Google Chrome gets a unique ID. That means that Google is able to learn that this is your personal Chrome installation (e.g. by using Google Chrome to log on with your Google account).

What is the problem with this? Because of the unique ID Google is able to know that YOU are using the browser. This is possible at any time - even if YOU are not logged on at Google. If this knowledge is used by Google, YOU (and me too) should be quite uncomfortable with this situation.

So my question: Does Google ensure that data entered in Chrome will NOT be assigned to me (better: my personal google account) if I am not logged on?


This entry was not written to blame Google. I am fine with their services. But there are huge possibilities to misuse the logged data. And any inside information is of high interest.

P.S.: You can remove the unique ID of Chrome with the small software utility KillID (use at your own risk, maybe you are violating Chrome's license agreement!).

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ShopSavvy Impressions

ShopSavvy is quite an interesting application available for Google’s Android mobile phone G1. Since a few weeks I use such a G1 and I gave this application a try.

What is ShopSavvy?

ShopSavvy is some sort of shopping assistant: It enables you to compare prices of products quickly.

The most interesting feature is that such comparisons are based on the product barcode (e.g. an EAN code). The barcode is decoded with the built in camera of the G1 (no manual key-in required) - and ShopSavvy then digs the deep wide web for identical products, their pricing - and possible shopping alternatives.

Great idea and quite funny for some minutes. I imagined myself standing in front of some product, decoding the bar code and thereafter bargaining with the seller (and using the G1 as the perfect discussion base).

Because price comparison has never been easier I can also imagine that some shop owners will hate this application. Especially for highly-priced products such an online price comparison makes sense.

But let me come to my point: The idea "ShopSavvy" has really potential. Pricing is just one aspect. Product discussions and customer feedback ("What does other customers think about this product") may be the next step.

Finally, a world-wide product database (based on product barcodes) is not far away (idea copyrighted by TEC-IT ;-)): G1 users use ShopSavvy world-wide, they enter missing products (like a ProductWikipedia.com), entries are corrected and extended by other users - and voila: all products world-wide are available via bar-code. International pricing included.

Before I forget: The company NeoMedia claims (or at least tries to claim - I am not sure if this patent was rejected shortly) a patent (#6,651,053) which may cover parts of the original ShopSavvy idea.

Let me know what you think.

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