Hi,
When I first heard of Android, two applications flashed to my mind.
1. An email reader
2. A task manager
Unfortunately the API support is not sufficient for either. I may do
something about the task manager when the API reaches a decent level.
The specs for the email reader I am offering to anybody in the group who
wishes to take it up.
Of course it can only be done when the API supports becomes available in
Android or you have to do a lot of low level coding.
I am providing detailed specs, so it is a long mail.
*Email Reader Specifications*
*Objective*
When using an Android phone with an headset, mail from my gmail account is
read out to me.
The entire process is hands free.
Drafts are saved in gmail drafts so that they can be reviewed, corrected and
sent later. There is also an option to send it without connecting to gmail.
**
*Note: This app assumes following API support from the Android platform. As
far as I am aware m5-rc15 does not have support for any of these. Nor is it
very clear whether these API's will ever be supported.*
1. *Gmail interface*
2. *Voice shortcuts for Menu just as we currently have "numeric" and
"alphabet" shortcuts. *
3. *Text to Speech*
4. *Voice Recognition i.e. Speech to Text*
*Functionality *
Blacklist / Whitelist control to be provided so that only subset of the mail
is read out to the user. Default no blacklist / no whitelist
Based on user configuration read [oldest to newest] / [newest to oldest]
mails. Default is newest to oldest
The application displays text and reads it out using Text To Speech.
There are menu options which can be chosen using voice shortcuts.
If no Menu option is chosen after 30 secs (either because user said nothing
or said something which could not be resolved as valid voice shortcut), the
app will go into a loop of reading [displayed text + " options avilable are
" + Text from all Menu options]
On Startup the user downloads headers for all new mails. If any older unread
mails exists.
Display and Read [" Ignore Older Mails" ]
Menu Options "Yes" / "No"
**
If "No" selected, older unread mails are added to list of new mails.
If "Yes" selected, older unread mails are discarded
Process list of unread mails
*Note: Anywhere in the app *
* if "Exit" selected, exit App *
* If "Next Mail" or "Previous Mail" selected, based on Newest to
Oldest / Oldest to Newest setting display appropriate mail in list*
* If "Repeat" selected, start reading what is displayed. (This is
default behaviour if user does nothing)*
Display and Read ["Mail from " + <from> + " Subject " + <Subject>]
Menu options "Read Mail" / "Next Mail" / "Previous Mail" / "Repeat" /
"Exit"
If "Read Mail" selected
a. If Body has more than 50 words
Display and read [first 50 words of Body + ",,,Read Complete Mail" ]
Menu Options "Yes" / "Reply" / "Forward" / "Next Mail" / "Previous Mail" /
"Repeat" / "Exit"
If "Yes" selected,
Display and Read [ Body + ",,,Completed Reading Mail"]
Menu Options "Reply" / "Forward" / "Next Mail" / "Previous Mail" /
"Repeat" / "Exit"
b. If Body has less than 50 words
Display and read [ Body + ",,,Completed Reading Mail"
Menu Options "Reply" / "Forward" / "Next Mail" / "Previous Mail" /
"Repeat" / "Exit"
If "Reply" Selected
Display and Read ["Reply to mail from " + <from> + " subject " + <Subject>
+ " Say Yes to start Recording " ]
Menu "Yes" / "Next Mail" / "Previous Mail" / "Repeat" / "Exit"
If "Yes" Selected use *Procedure for creating Draft *
If "Forward" selected
Display and Read ["Choose Recipient"]
Menu [Precreated Contacts] / "Next Mail" / "Previous Mail" / "Exit"
If Contact selected,
Display and Read ["Forwarding to " <contact> + " subject " + <Subject> +
" Say Yes to start Recording" ]
Menu "Yes" / "Next Mail" / "Previous Mail" / "Repeat" / "Exit"
If "Yes" selected, use *Procedure for creating Draft *
Once all the mails in the list are processed
a. If Drafts exist
Display and Read ["No More New Mails, Review Drafts"]
Menu "Yes" / "Previous Mail" / "Exit"
If "Yes" selected, Create list of drafts and *Review Drafts*
b. No Drafts exist
Display and Read ["No More New Mails"]
Menu "Previous Mail" / "Exit"
*Procedure for creating Draft *
Create text box and insert text using Voice recognition
If Gap of 10 sec in voice
Display and Read "Completed recording Draft"
Menu "Yes" / "No"
If "No" Selected, Display text box and append text using Voice Recognition
If "Yes" Selected, Take Contents of Text Box + Quoted Text Marker + Original
Body save to gmail drafts
*Process Drafts*
Display and Read [ "Draft To" <ToAddress> "Subject" Subject" ]
Menu "Review Draft" / "Next Draft" / "Previous Draft" / "Repeat" / "Exit"
If "Review Draft" Selected
Display and Read [Body till Quoted Text Marker]
Menu "Send Mail" / "Next Draft" / "Previous Draft" / "Repeat" / "Exit"
If "Send Mail" selected, send mail
*Usability challenges that the design overcomes*
**
It is difficult to learn to use voice driven software with complex
functionality
Overcome by having a on sceen display and menu so that user can
learn by looking at screen and menu options.
If the users attention wanders difficult to recapture context
Overcome by having a loop after 30 sec of no activity and not
starting to read complete long mail without confirmation from user
Power user / Novice user need different experience
Overcome by not "reading options available" first time. But if
the user is unable to proceed the options are read out to him.
Using voice recognition software handsfree is very difficult
Overcome by polling to check for completion whenever there is 10
sec gap.
Using voice recognition without visually checking what words have been
recognized is difficult
Overcome by giving text to speech review of drafts so that user
can check without looking at screen.
*End Email Reader Specifications*
At this point this is real pie in the sky design. There is no clue if
anything like this will ever be implemented in the api. If something does
come through and somebody decides to take it up, contact me for any
clarifications you need
gk
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