Advanced scheduler. Allows you to perform actions/lists of actions based on different events. Similar to Locale, only much more powerful. It is possible to create widgets with arbitrary list actions.
Main list of events:
- Tracking application service activity
- Starting and shutting down an application
- Launch the selected application activity (long tap on the application in the selection list)
- User requesting help in an application or system
- The arrival of a specific time and/or date, as well as a day, week, month, day of the month or week, day of the month or week, last day of the month
- The beginning and end of a certain period of time
- The onset and end of an event in a calendar, alarm clock
- Entering a geographic area (determined by GPS or cell towers and WIFI access points) and exiting it
- Connecting the device to a specific cell tower (from given list towers)
- Establishing and disconnecting a connection in a specific mobile data mode: 2G, 3G, 4G and others
- Reaching and losing a certain level of cellular network signal reception
- Detect a specific (or any) WIFI access point, connect to it, and disconnect from it
- Turn airplane mode on or off
- Turning on and off Bluetooth adapters, NFC and WIFI
- Hardware keyboard events (open-pull out/closed-pull back)
- Pressing certain hardware keys, including those located on headphones (wired or wireless)
- Clicking on soft buttons and some other elements of the user interface of Android and third-party programs
- Incoming or outgoing call, answer incoming, end conversation
- Receiving SMS (MMS)
- Successful sending of SMS (MMS) and an error when sending it
- Missed call, SMS (MMS)
- Events from various built-in sensors (light, proximity to an object, orientation, movement, magnetic field, pressure, temperature, humidity, pedometer)
- Connecting and disconnecting charger(wired, wireless, USB bus powered)
- Reaching a certain battery level, discharging the battery below a certain level, changing battery level
- Turn the screen saver on or off (Android Daydream)
- Connecting to and disconnecting from a computer via USB
- Connecting to the device USB devices and turning them off
- Connecting and disconnecting an SD card
- The end of Android loading and the beginning of shutting down the device
- Turning the screen on and off, unlocking the screen
- Start and end of a user session
- Create, change and delete a file on the SD card
- Connecting and disconnecting wired or wireless headphones, Bluetooth and USB devices
- Connect to and disconnect from a car or desktop dock, TV, or watch
- Spatial movement of the device in a given specific way - gesture
- Shaking the device
- The occurrence of a certain system event in Android - receiving an intent
- Changing the system date, time, time zone
- Add, update, or delete an application
- Appearance of a specific or any window (regular, pop-up, dialog)
- Appearance of an application notification in the system notification bar and user selection of such notification
Basic list of actions:
- In-car mode control
- Airplane mode control, incl. selective shutdown of radio modules
- Volume adjustment, incl. separate streams: call, tone dialing signal (DTMF), telephone conversation, incl. via bluetooth headset, alarm clock, ringtones, notifications
- Controlling ringtone playback and vibration for incoming calls
- Answer to incoming call("to answer a call")
- Silent Mode Control
- Manage screen settings: brightness, incl. automatic brightness mode, orientation, duration of the period of inactivity before blocking, incl. when charging
- Obtaining information about screen characteristics: screen dimensions, screen resolution, current automatic orientation setting
- Setting wallpaper on your home screen
- Screen lock management: turn the lock on and off, incl. forced locking
- Auto-sync mode control
- Controlling the sound mode for pressing hardware and software buttons, the tactile navigation mode (haptic feedback)
- LED control, incl. LED backlight mode when displaying notifications from Android and third-party applications
- Night mode control
- Turning on and off Bluetooth, NFC, WIFI, WiMax, GPS, network adapters mobile communications, including control of data transmission modes in the mobile communication network
- Getting information about network connection(type of connection, availability of access to mobile transmission data), about parameters WIFI networks(Adapter MAC address, signal strength, access point name), Bluetooth, Ethernet
- Setting the device name on the bluetooth network
- Turn on and off various data transfer modes via NFC, incl. Android Beam and NFC Payment
- emulation of button presses, incl. and non-existent ones on the device, for example, joystick emulation - a “universal sledgehammer” with which almost everything is done
- text input emulation
- Capture exclusive use of some hardware buttons
- Closing system dialogs
- Inserting an event into a calendar
- Getting information about calendar entries
- Call to a specific number
- Manage outgoing calls to specific numbers: call blocking and call forwarding
- Creating letters, SMS and MMS
- Sending SMS
- Getting information about contacts in your phone book
- Launching applications, incl. call log, contacts (with selection of specific contacts), maps (with selection of a specific location), input language selection dialog, applications that provide separation of Internet traffic via USB and WIFI (tether)
- Getting information about installed applications and application components (activities, services, receivers)
- Managing the notification panel: showing it and minimizing it
- Interrupt Mode Control
- Adding a new alarm
- Starting the system stopwatch
- Selecting the default SMS application
- Force termination of applications
- Music player control, incl. built-in, incl. creating a playlist
- Playing audio files, built-in ringtones, etc. with selectable audio stream
- Getting information about audio files: title, artist, playback time
- Vibration activation, incl. according to a given template
- Control of the built-in microphone, incl. recording sound from it
- Operations with directories and files: creating, copying, moving, reading (getting a list of files in the case of directories), checking file existence, reading file attributes: size, access rights, modification time, writing, deleting, archiving in a zip archive, extracting from zip archive, encryption and decryption)
- Working with images: resizing, cropping, rotating, applying a filter
- Set default ringtones for calls, alarms, notifications
- Determining your current location (via GPS or cell towers and WIFI access points)
- Connection to Ethernet networks and disconnecting from it
- Displaying messages, regular and pop-up dialogs, menus, lists (in fact, it is possible to build arbitrary graphical user interfaces using scenes
- Displaying notifications in the notification panel, incl. accompanied LED backlight or sound notifications, vibration
- Canceling your own notifications
- Speech recognition and synthesis
- Go to the home screen, incl. with a specific number
- Getting the current user ID
- Working with web servers: receiving and sending content, not necessarily in html format, running shell scripts, javascript, SL4A
- Using Java Constructs and Calling Functions Java language and Android (via the Java reflection mechanism)
- remounting partitions on an internal or external memory card
- Starting a forced system scan of the SD card
- Sending an arbitrary system event - intent
- Adding content to the clipboard
- Photography
- Flash control
- Operators for organizing control in programs: creating and changing variables, arrays, if-else statements, loops, calling subroutines (in fact, even coroutines), mathematical functions, search and replace by pattern, incl. using regular expressions
Both of these lists are far from complete. Firstly, the set of Tasker events and actions can be expanded by connecting third-party plugins, thousands of them. Secondly, using emulation of hardware and software keys or running scripts on the shell and SL4A, you can perform almost any action. And besides, there is also the reception and sending of intentions.
Scenes
Scenes allow you to add a graphical user interface to tasks. That is, if you dreamed of orange buttons on a crimson background, Tasker scenes are exactly what you need to make your dream come true.
In reality, of course, no one uses a crimson background. Almost. But, for example, make the window background transparent, place the window on top of the status bar, and display text with the battery charge in the window itself. Tempting? Still would.
List of interface elements
- button- button
- checkbox – a checkbox (by ticking the same element in the item, we change one or another parameter).
- Doodle – a field where we can draw an element on the screen
- Image - picture
- map – GPS map
- Menu - a menu with a scrollable list of all the items we have added
- Number Picker - number selection (as for example in the settings given in Android. Spinning drum)
- oval - oval graphic element.
- Restangle – graphic figure
- slider - the so-called slider (changing the volume in the settings, for example, is done in the form of a slider)
- spiner – drop-down menu
- text – display text
- textEdit – input field for text editing
- toggle – on/off button (such as turning on wi-fi in settings
- webview web browsing pages (standard Android tools)
We take the interface elements listed above, combine them in different ways, set the width, height, colors so that it is not boring. This set is called a scene.
1. We start by determining the size of the scene (tab Scenes), click (+) enter the name of our scene, then in the visual scene editor we increase/decrease the scene area to the size we need
2. Now we can fill the created scene with our elements
In the screenshot above, the image of the radio (all these buttons, wheels, orange screen in the center) is installed background picture for our scene (set as background). Interface elements have been added to the scene with transparent background (dotted lines in the picture - the borders of the elements). To create a more realistic interface (draw a pressed key, for example), you will have to draw (steal) a picture for each graphic element (in several versions, a pressed and not pressed button). And set these pictures as the background for each element separately, then the scene background can be filled with one color.
4. Label the buttons (Text). The screenshot below shows the Tasker dialog for editing the LIGHT button (it is in the center of the row of buttons located immediately below the orange screen). We assign actions to the buttons according to taste: pressing (Tap), long pressing (Long Tap)
“Is there something like Tasker in iOS?” - this question often nullifies any debate about mobile operating systems. Neither in iOS nor in Windows Mobile There is no tool that even remotely resembles this application. For many advanced users, Tasker has long become a must-have tool, capable of replacing dozens of paid applications. Entire websites and forums are dedicated to it, but in our magazine we wrote about Tasker only once.
What is Tasker? This is a smartphone automation tool that allows you to program the device’s reaction to one or another systemic or not-so-systemic event. Tasker, for example, can respond to turning a smartphone face down and mute the sound in response. It can work when the battery level drops to 30% and switch the smartphone to 2G mode. Using Tasker, you can program GPS to turn on in response to app launch Google Maps or turning on airplane mode at night.
Almost any system event related to sensors or device state can be used by Tasker to launch an action, application, display information, or generate dialog boxes with various controls. In terms of capabilities, Tasker has already become a full-fledged visual programming environment, which can be expanded with numerous plugins available in the market.
Do you want to create your own voice commands? No problem, the market has the AutoVoice plugin. Need the ability to automatically remote control another device or PC? There is AutoRemote for this. What about access to low-level Android settings? Secure Settings is at your service.
How does Tasker work?
As I said earlier, the principle of Tasker is based on reacting to certain events and changes in the state of the smartphone. In Tasker terminology, these are called contexts. You can attach a particular task to a context, which consists of one or more actions. An action can be anything from launching an application to changing certain settings. In the event that we are talking about a long-term context (from nine in the morning to five in the evening, location, etc.), and not a single event (launching an application, for example), there may also be an “exit task” that will work after the completion of the context.
Together, the combination of context, task and sequence of actions is called a profile. Immediately after launching, Tasker will offer to create your first profile - press the “plus” at the bottom of the screen and select desired event or context (eg time). Next, he will offer to attach a task to it, give it a name and define necessary actions. Once the actions are defined, the profile will become active. At any time, you can export your profile and post it online so that others can use it.
In addition to profiles, contexts and tasks, Tasker has the concept of “scene”. It's kind of scripted dialog boxes with buttons, sliders and other Android interface elements. A scene can be created using the visual editor located on the third tab of the main Tasker screen, and then associated with contexts and tasks, thus creating an almost complete application. Using Tasker App Factory, you can package it into an APK package and upload it to Google Play.
The set of actions built into Tasker can be significantly expanded with the help of third-party plugins, which are available in large quantities on Google Play. I have already mentioned some of them above, others we will consider later. Tasker plugins are included with many well-known applications, so you can automate them too. In particular, Tasker is capable of managing applications such as Screen Filter, Rsync Backup, Folder Sync, DashClock.
How does Tasker work?
In his Tasker work uses two keys Android features: Messaging and the open nature of the OS. Unlike many other operating systems, Android's components are largely unrelated to each other and rely on a messaging system to communicate. Messages can either be intended for a specific application/class or have a broadcast nature (broadcastIntent), which allows them to be received by any installed application.
Broadcast messages are used in Android for tasks such as notifying applications about system events: low level battery charge, enable/disable GPS, receive SMS and so on. Initially, all this was invented to make the system and third-party applications work more harmoniously, but Tasker uses such messages to implement the idea of "context".
In addition, Android is quite open to third-party applications, allowing them, among other things, to control the brightness of the display, enable certain settings, launch applications independently, and much more. This OS feature allows Tasker to implement the idea of "tasks" and "actions", and together with the concept of "contexts" they form "profiles", that is, sets of actions that are performed in response to a system event.
On iOS and Windows Phone an analogue of Tasker cannot exist due to the low awareness of applications about system events and serious restrictions on managing the system from third-party applications.
Must have profiles
Let's start with the simplest, but often vital profiles. You can create them in a few seconds, and there will be a lot of benefits. Here are the ones that I have used at different times in one way or another.
— In terms of capabilities, Tasker has already turned into a full-fledged visual programming environment
- Using Tasker App Factory, profiles can be packaged into an APK package and posted on Google Play
- There are dozens of variables that allow you to get the most various information, starting from Bluetooth status and ending with the current processor frequency
Swing control
Some proprietary firmware already has a wave control function, which allows you to switch songs or answer a call by shaking your smartphone. Of course, similar functionality can be replicated using Tasker. Here is the setup algorithm:
Context: Event -> Sensor -> Shake -> Axis: Left-Right Task: Screen -> Block
This is a description of a profile that will turn off the screen after shaking the smartphone in your hand left-right (Axis: Left-Right). You can also attach any other actions available in Tasker as a task. For example, “Audio -> Speakerphone"or "Phone -> Start a conversation." You can also configure the application to launch using “Application -> Launch Application”.
Turning on airplane mode at night
There is no point in keeping your smartphone on at night. On the other side, automatic switching on You can’t configure it in the morning either (this function is only available in Chinese smartphones), but you can set it to airplane mode at night. To do this using Tasker, you will have to install the Secure Settigs plugin (starting with Android 4.2, Google has blocked the ability to control airplane mode for third-party applications), and then configure the profile this way:
Context: Time -> from 1:00 to 7:00 Task: Plugin -> Secure Settings -> Root Actions -> Airplane Mode
To select an action in the plugin itself, click on the pencil icon next to “Configuration”. Instead of airplane mode, you can use "Audio -> Silent Mode" to enable silent mode.
Launching the player when headphones are connected
One of the most popular profiles. Configuration:
Context: Status -> Equipment -> Headphones connected Task: Application -> Launch the application -> Select the desired player
You can also add to the task additional action, which controls the volume (Audio -> Playback Volume).
Brightness control
On certain devices that you don’t often take outside (for example, tablets), it’s more convenient to adjust the brightness manually. And it’s even more convenient using Tasker. On my tablet, for example, there are two profiles:
Context: Time -> from 9:00 to 20:00 Task: Screen -> Display brightness -> 100 Context: Time -> from 20:01 to 8:59 Task: Screen -> Display brightness -> 0
During the daytime, the brightness is set to a third of the maximum (maximum is 255), the rest of the time - to minimum. Naturally, automatic brightness control should be disabled.
Start USB teasing when connected to a PC
An ideal option for those who often spend time outside the home with a laptop over their shoulder. Very simple and useful profile:
Context: Status -> Connected via USB Task: Network -> Internet via USB 
Saves energy when battery reaches 30 percent charge level
To be honest, I am not a fan of such energy saving methods, but many people, as they say, like it. The idea is to force the smartphone to automatically turn off 3G, GPS, Wi-Fi and set the display brightness to minimum when a critical charge level is reached.
Context: Status -> Charge level -> from 0 to 30 Task: Screen -> Display brightness -> 0 Network -> Mobile. data -> Only 2G Network -> Wi-Fi status -> Turn off Plugin -> Secure Settings -> System+ Actions -> GPS -> Off 
Automation based on location
Obviously, depending on your location, your smartphone should act differently. For example, when outside the home, the lock screen pin and GPS must be turned on, while Wi-Fi can be turned off. At home, you don’t need a locking pin, but you do need Wi-Fi and a high ringer volume (so you can hear the smartphone connected to the charger while in the kitchen). At work/school, it is better to turn on the vibration mode, and in some cases, set up an automatic response to SMS.
Tasker has several location detection methods at its disposal. This is information from GPS satellites, information from cell towers, the fact of connecting to a Wi-Fi network with a certain name, or even being near such a Wi-Fi network. The most economical and universal of them is information from towers, however, if the network coverage is not too dense, they can provide inaccurate information with a spread of several kilometers. In this case, it is better to use orientation via Wi-Fi networks. Even when always on, Wi-Fi is much more economical than a GPS module, which will not be able to sleep if Tasker constantly tugs on it.
Context: state -> network -> connected to a Wi-Fi network -> network name Task: Audio -> Ring volume -> 7 Network -> Auto-sync -> Turn off Plugin -> Secure Settings -> System+ Actions -> GPS -> Off Plugin -> Secure Settings -> Root Actions -> Wireless ADB -> On Plugin -> Secure Settings -> Dev Admin Actions -> Password/Pin -> Disabled
What this profile does: sets the maximum ringer volume, disables auto-sync (why get email notifications at home?), disables GPS, enables ADB over Wi-Fi (to control your smartphone from a PC) and disables the PIN code. The following profile is for the street:
Context: state -> network -> connected to a Wi-Fi network -> “if not” Task: Audio -> Ring volume -> 4 Network -> Auto-sync -> Enable Plugin -> Secure Settings -> System+ Actions -> GPS -> On Plugin -> Secure Settings -> Root Actions -> Wireless ADB -> Off Plugin -> Secure Settings -> Dev Admin Actions -> Password/Pin -> Enabled
The profile sets the opposite settings to the “Home” profile. Latest profile “At work/school”:
Context: Status -> Network -> Connected to a Wi-Fi network -> Network name Task: Audio -> Silent mode -> Vibration Network -> Auto-sync -> Enable Plugin -> Secure Settings -> System+ Actions -> GPS -> Off
Here vibration is turned on instead of a call, synchronization remains on, GPS is turned off. In some of these profiles (especially the last one), it will be more convenient to use cell tower orientation. To do this, just replace the context with “Place”. A map will open and you can select the exact location and context trigger radius. It is better to turn off the GPS button at the bottom.
Homemade anti-theft
The market has a lot of different applications to protect against smartphone theft. In no case will I insist on removing them and replacing them with Tasker, but will simply show you how to repeat the same functionality with the ability to precisely tailor it to your own needs. This is very easy to do. Here's a simple profile.
Context: Phone -> Text received. message -> Type: SMS, Sender: “+7...”, Content: “locate” Task: Plugin -> Secure Settings -> System+ Actions -> GPS -> On Task -> Wait -> 30 seconds Miscellaneous -> Get coordinates -> Source: any Phone -> Send SMS -> Number: “+7...”, Message: “Date: %DATE %TIME. Battery: %BATT. Location: %LOC"
When receiving an SMS from the number +7... with the message “locate”, the smartphone will turn on GPS, fall asleep for 30 seconds (so that the smartphone can find satellites), receive coordinates and send them to specified number in this format: “Date: date time. Battery: charge percentage. Location: coordinates." To get the exact location on the map, you just need to enter the coordinates into Google Maps.
Please note that we used variables to generate SMS. They are installed and updated by Tasker itself, so the variables can be used in any text field within the application. In addition to those listed here, there are dozens of other variables that allow you to get a variety of information, ranging from Bluetooth status to the current processor frequency (their descriptions can be found).
The profile can be expanded and modified to sending SMS every five minutes (for this you can use the “task -> for” action, which implements a loop), enable the smartphone lock using a pin, as shown in the previous example, force the smartphone to call the desired number (Phone -> Call), take a photo (Media -> Photo) and send it via MMS (Phone -> Create SMS). If you wish, you can create a web application and communicate with it using HTTP POST and GET (Network -> HTTP Post)!
Voice control
Google has an excellent voice analyzer, which by default only works in conjunction with Google Now. But we can also use it to create profiles for Tasker, giving us the ability to launch the actions we need using our voice. To do this, you will need the AutoVoice plugin, which costs one dollar, and just a little bit of ingenuity. The simplest example profile using AutoVoice will be like this:
Context: State -> Plugin -> AutoVoice Recognized -> Event Behaviour: On, Command Filter: “Response to main question life" Task: Signal -> Emergency message -> Text: "42"
This profile will work when AutoVoice recognizes the phrase “The answer to life’s biggest question.” To launch the recognition mechanism itself, you can use the AutoVoice widget, which displays standard dialogue“Say...” and based on the recognition results, launches the desired profile. Another way: create a new profile that will work, for example, when the screen is unlocked and launch the action “Plugin -> AutoVoice Recognize”. In this case, the dialog will be displayed automatically.
An even more interesting way to use AutoVoice is its "always-on recognition" mechanism, which works as long as the smartphone screen is on. In this case, commands can be spoken at any time, and if AutoVoice recognizes them, the desired profile will automatically work. To enable “continuous recognition”, you need to enable external application access in Tasker settings (Settings -> Miscellaneous -> Allow external access), and then enable the “Continous -> Toggle Listener” setting in AutoVoice. Disadvantage of the method: constant exchange of data with Google (or the need to switch to an offline speech recognition engine).
INFO
- AutoVoice is application dependent " Google Search"and refuses to work without it.
- AutoVoice can integrate with Google Now. To get it to do this, you need to install the Xposed framework and download the Google Now API through the AutoVoice settings.
- Tasker can be linked to a Minimalistic Text widget to display your own information.
Remote control
AutoRemote is another interesting plugin from the author of AutoVoice. It allows you to control your smartphone remotely with multiple different ways such as a web interface, a browser plugin, a Windows/Linux application, or using another smartphone on Android based or iOS. Using AutoRemote, you can create profiles that will be triggered when a signal is received from the outside or generate such a signal as a result of some system event. Two copies of AutoRemote installed on different devices, will allow them to exchange information in automatic mode, including the ability to forward notifications, messages and activate certain functions on one smartphone in response to an event on another.
Let me warn you right away that the cost of the plugin is four dollars, but there are also free version, the only limitation of which is the length of commands up to two characters. In most cases, this will be quite enough to issue commands such as “Disconnect smartphone” or “Get coordinates” (one character is enough for this), but if the possibility of sending notifications, receiving information from a smartphone and organizing something like a chat is implemented you'll have to fork out the cash.
Like the plugin from the previous section, AutoRemote is also a full-fledged application. After launching it, a link and QR code will appear on the screen. The link can be opened in a browser to gain access to the smartphone management web interface, and the QR code can be scanned with another smartphone with AutoRemote installed and the two gadgets connected to the network. Next, you can start using AutoRemote in your profiles.
For example, let's connect a tablet (name in AutoRemote: tablet) and a phone (name: phone) using AutoRemote and create a set of profiles with which the smartphone will notify the tablet that it has received an SMS. On a smartphone we create the following profile:
Context: Event -> Phone -> Text message received Task: Plugin -> AutoRemote Message -> Device: "tablet", Message: "ss"
On tablet:
Context: State -> Plugin -> AutoRemote -> Event Behaviour: On, Message Filter: "ss" Task: Signal -> Notification -> Title: "SMS", Text: "Received SMS"
Now, when an SMS arrives on your smartphone, a notification will appear on your tablet. Having full version AutoRemote profiles can be extended to include sender information and message text (%SMSRF and %SMSRB variables) in the sent message.
conclusions
Tasker makes the smartphone truly smart device. Using it and many plugins, you can program almost any aspect of the device's operation. The examples shown in the article are only a small part of the iceberg that is hidden behind a simple and pleasant user interface.
You often need to perform routine actions on an Android smartphone - turn on Wi-Fi when you get home, open the media player when you connect a headset, or lower the volume at work. Vesti.High-Tech offers an overview of software that will simplify your life by taking on these tasks.
Let us remember that Android, compared to iOS, gives developers and users significantly more freedom; you can do almost anything with it. However, later versions of the operating system Google systems(4.0+) impose limitations on automation tools. For example, to enable GPS functionality on full blast or switch between 2G and 3G networks, you need Android no higher than 2.3 (or CyanogenMod firmware), and Jelly Bean prevents you from adjusting the sound volume. Of course, directly related to system functions The frames can also be bypassed, but to do this you need to gain root access to the device.
In addition, this kind of program is quite complex for the average user - not everyone will understand the intricacies of setting up numerous rules, triggers and other algorithms. And yet, after spending a couple of hours on them, you can almost completely customize your smartphone to suit your needs and save much more time.
For example, one of the users using powerful utility Tasker made it so that, when approaching a dacha, Android would call the required number to open the gate with remote control. In this case, you don’t have to touch the gadget at all. And the user of another application, Llama, uses it like this: “When I come home, the program turns on Wi-Fi and changes the profile to “Normal.” When I leave the house, the program turns off Wi-Fi and turns on the “Loud” profile. At 11:30 p.m. it turns off GSM module(why wind up the battery at night?), at 6:30 it turns on GSM. On weekends, sound alerts are disabled until 11 am." So the capabilities of the "automators" are limited only by your imagination.
Tasker, which we have already mentioned, is the most feature-rich tool. The utility's interface is divided into three parts: Profiles - here is a list of conditions according to which some action must be performed, Tasks - the actual actions themselves that are associated with profiles, and Scenes ") is a visual editor of automation processes (can be useful if you create applications yourself).
There are 6 types of profiles: if the application is launched, a certain day of the week occurs, exact time or some event if the user is approaching a point on the map (you can set the radius and turn off GPS to save battery) or something happens to the smartphone - the orientation changes, the USB cable is connected, charging drops. The actions can be almost anything (search the Internet, send an SMS, call, open a file, and much, much more).
Unfortunately, there is no complete documentation for Tasker, and it has not been translated into Russian, so be prepared to master the utility yourself. It sells for almost 100 rubles. Before paying, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the free trial version (up to 7 days), which can be downloaded from the developer’s website.
Developer: Crafty Apps;
Google Play rating: 4.6 (13,284).
"Automator" based on geolocation. You define a zone (home, work, cottage or any other places), specify a profile (silent, loud, quiet, or create your own) and associate events with them in the desired period of time. In general, the principle of operation of Llama is similar to Tasker: it can perform actions (lock the screen, switch to silent mode, “kill” all processes, launch a program, reboot, reduce display brightness, etc.) based on the time of day and day of the week, battery level, calendar events, headset connection, etc.
Compared to Tasker, there are fewer tasks available in Llama, but there are two undeniable advantages: the utility is localized, and there are preset events (for example, “Silent Night” - in the “Home” zone between 22:00 and 06:30 the profile changes to “Quiet” "). Calculates location not from GPS, but from tower signals cellular communication and Wi-Fi access points.
Required Android version: depends on the device;
Developer: KebabApps;
Google Play rating: 4.7 (8,525).
It stands out from other utilities due to its simplicity and clarity. On start screen two sections are shown: “My Rules” - a list of personal triggers/actions, and “Rules Store” - from here you can download ready-made scenarios created by other users (turn off GPS when loading maps, turn on vibration after the battery is fully charged, activate Bluetooth in the car and etc.).
After installing AutomateIt, users have access to six basic rules - lower the volume when connecting headphones, warn about low battery, turn off the sound at night, and others. The selection of triggers and actions is very large, almost like Tasker, and each has a description in Russian. The basic functionality of AutomateIt is wide, but if you want, for example, to read sensor readings, add combined rules, take into account events from the calendar, you need to purchase paid version(68 rubles)
Developer: SmarterApps Ltd;
Google Play rating: 4.3 (2,360).
The main feature of AA is the ability to attach a sequence of various actions to an event. It supports rules that many other utilities do not have: if the SIM card is changed, you can record what is happening from the smartphone to a file, track the coordinates and send them to your email, or take a photo when you shake the device.
The rest is simple. Create a “program”, assign a trigger (a cross on the left) and an event related to it (a cross on the right). The Pro version (68 rubles) of Android Automate offers some advanced features and disables pop-up advertising.
Android version required: from 2.2;
Developer: monkeysoft;
Google Play rating: 3.4 (25).
Suitable if you don't want to create profiles from scratch, like in Tasker. You can select and configure one of five ready-made ones ("Normal, "Meeting", "Quiet", "Night", "Outdoor"). For example, in the "night" mode, you just need to arrange the switches as needed (vibration motor, speaker volume, White list contacts, data transfer/Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, brightness, “wallpaper”, launching applications, etc.).
Profiles turn on themselves if they meet any of the rules. For example, if you want Outdoor mode (along with GPS) to be enabled when you get into your car, add the "Dock" condition to the rule. A special feature of Profile Scheduler is the ability to determine the desired volume for calls or SMS received from each contact, regardless of the selected profile.
Android version required: from 2.2;
Developer: Wetpalm;
Google Play rating: 4.3 (3,416).
The purpose of this program is to support NFC tags as triggers. You can stick a smart sticker on your desktop or dashboard car, and when the smartphone is nearby, remove it - the utility will perform a certain action. In Russia, a set of 5 NFC tags costs about 500-600 rubles.
What’s important is that the program allows you to do without them by using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. For example, if your smartphone connects to your home or work network, you can change the sound profile, dim the display brightness, lock the device, send a tweet, or check in on Facebook.
Modern smartphones are rightfully called smart phones, because they are able to perform many routine tasks automatically. To do this you just need to install special utility, able to monitor certain events and perform the actions you need.
One of the most popular utilities of this kind is Tasker, which is rightfully considered the “Swiss knife” of automation. With its help, you can easily teach your phone to automatically turn on silent mode at work, turn off Wi-Fi when leaving home, and launch your favorite player when you connect headphones. However, for all its advantages, Tasker is difficult to master, its interface is terrifying with its angularity, and besides, it costs money.
If you are looking free alternative, then be sure to pay attention to SwiP. This program allows you to automatically switch between the different device profiles you create. Although it is not as flexible and feature-rich as Tasker, its capabilities are still sufficient for the average user. In addition, SwiP is much more convenient and easier to use and configure.
The main screen of the program is divided into two tabs: “Profiles” and “Triggers”. The first one is used to manage profiles and contains three preset profiles called “Home”, “Default” and “Meeting”. You can edit or create any of them completely new set settings. In each profile you can include the following actions:
- changing the call mode;
- setting the ringer and notification volume;
- setting the alarm volume;
- enable or disable GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth;
- brightness level adjustment.
On the “Triggers” tab, you can set the conditions under which a particular profile will be activated. This could be your geographic location, time, battery status, headphone connection, and so on. It is also possible to link the same profile to several triggers. In this case, you must set a priority for each condition.
The program is currently in beta testing, but we have not identified any errors or problems while using it. Try SwiP in action and let us know in the comments about your impressions.
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