Examine

Inspiration

We wanted to see what apps were used most on our phone, and see how much time we spend using our phone throughout the day.

What it does

This app records and displays the amount of time you spend on each app. We used several methods of data representation to highlight different focal points for app use.

How we built it

We used the android app.usage library to view the time stamps of when apps were pulled to the foreground and pushed to the background. Using this, we sent the information through the library MPAndroidChart to allow the user to see the information clearly.

Challenges we ran into

Inittially, we attempted to run this as a foreground service, but we ran into several problems trying to view when apps were opened and closed, as well as the name of the app that was opened or closed.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We were able to gather a huge amount of information and display it in an aesthetically pleasing manner. We were able to finish within one day of work with excellent planning and research.

What we learned

Every language framework has its quirks and limitations that we must work with in creative ways. We learned how to integrate Android libraries such as MPAndroidChart. We learned how to coordinate a three-person team with Git.

What's next for Examine

We plan to implement even more methods of displaying our statistics so the user can see not only total time for each app they use, but also frequency and the time of day when they use it most. We also plan to implement a persistent state so users may see their app usage over an extended period of time.

Built With

• android
• java