Dindy For Android
This is the homepage of Dindy, my first mobile application for the Android platform. In general, Dindy is an SMS auto reply (or auto respond) application with a twist – it allows urgent calls to get through by letting the caller decide whether the call is urgent or not. See the help text for more details.
Page contents:
Dindy (DND) is useful when you are busy but still want urgent calls to come through. For example, before going to sleep you select the “Night” profile and start it. The first time a mobile contact calls in, Dindy silences the phone and sends an SMS reply automatically telling the caller to call again if the call is urgent. The second time the same person calls, Dindy will make the phone ring to let you know a call requires your attention.
Other examples where Dindy is useful are in meetings (and the phone is set to vibrate on the second call) or while driving.
Per-profile settings allow you to customize Dindy’s behavior. Available settings are:
- Enable SMS reply-to-call: when disabled, Dindy works the same but SMS messages are not sent to callers.
- SMS message: set the message to be sent to mobile phone callers.
- First call: set whether the phone should ring, vibrate (or both) when a caller calls for the first time.
- Second call: set whether the phone should ring, vibrate (or both) when a caller calls for the second time.
- Time between calls: set the timeframe between the first and second call during which a call is considered urgent. It is advised to let the caller know this timeframe in the SMS message. Available options are 5 minutes, 10 minutes, half an hour, one hour and until Dindy is stopped. For the latter option, Dindy will activate the second call notification for every caller that calls more than once until Dindy is stopped.
- Non-mobile caller: this setting tells Dindy how to treat incoming calls that are in your contact list but are not listed as mobile. The choices are to use the first call settings, the second call settings or your regular call settings from before you started Dindy.
- Unknown caller: this setting tells Dindy how to treat incoming calls from unknown callers (that are not in your contact list.) The choices are to use the first call settings, the second call settings or your regular call settings from before you started Dindy.
- Use time limit: check this option to be asked for a time limit every time the profile is started. The profile will stop automatically according to your setting. Time limit only works from the main screen or widgets. When started from a shortcut, a profile will start with no limit.Additional notes:
- Dindy will not send the automatic SMS reply message if the incoming call was accepted or declined.
- Alarms will go off while Dindy is running even if it was set to silence the ringer (so, for example, you can set an alarm to wake you up even if the current profile silences the phone.)
- Incoming text messages will make a notification sound and vibrate according to the first call notification settings of the active profile.Using Dindy shortcuts
A Dindy profile shortcut can be used to start and then stop the same profile. The “Stop Dindy” shortcut can be used to stop any running profile.
When using Dindy shortcuts in external applications, after deleting a profile or after uninstalling and reinstalling Dindy you must re-apply all of Dindy’s settings in these applications (upgrades are safe).
Important note to AppAlarm users: when using Dindy with AppAlarm, UNCHECK the “Force App Restart On Launch” option. Failing to do so will leave your phone silent!Using Dindy in Locale
To correctly use Dindy in Locale add the “Stop Dindy” setting to each situation where you do NOT want to use Dindy, specifically the default situation.
For each situation where you want to use Dindy, add the desired Dindy profile setting.
After deleting a Dindy profile that is used in Locale you must change the Dindy setting in the relevant situations. If you uninstall and reinstall Dindy, you must re-apply all of Dindy’s settings in Locale (Dindy upgrades are safe.)Dindy was conceived and created by Amit Schreiber (aka gnobal). For support, comments, requests and bug reports please contact Amit at dindyforandroid@gmail.com. For more information about Dindy, visit Dindy’s page. Check periodically for Dindy updates on the Android App Market.
The green and red power buttons were kindly contributed to public domain by Lumen Media s.r.o.
The launcher icon is a combination of two icons from the Milky and Bright! free icon sets, kindly contributed by Min Tran to public domain.
Copyright © 2009 Amit Schreiber
All Rights Reserved.
ChangeLog
1.0.0 (11-Oct-2009)
- Initial release
1.0.1
- Fixed an issue where rarely the SMS was sent later than expected
1.0.2
- Better wakelock granularity (keep the CPU working only for a few seconds, not a few minutes)
- Fixed a rare race which would cause Dindy to treat a third late call as a second call
- Only refresh settings if the currently active profile is edited, not on every edit (slightly faster UI)
- Show notification and status bar icon indicating that Dindy is running only after everything is actually started
1.0.3
- Fixed an issue where sometimes a second call was considered as first
1.0.4
- Code + user interface cleanups
- Added two new profiles to new installations: Away and Busy
1.0.5
- Speed improvement for the main screen
1.0.6 (29-Jan-2010)
- Clicking the notification now shows the existing main screen instead of opening a new one
- Speed improvement for the main screen
- Use a little less memory
1.0.7 (07-Feb-2010)
- Better app behavior
- Even more memory and speed improvements
1.0.8 (27-Feb-2010)
- Introducing single profile widgets
1.0.9 (6-Mar-2010)
- Locale plug-in added
1.1.0 (27-Mar-2010)
- Shortcuts added
1.1.1 (12-Apr-2010)
- Fixed an issue where a caller with a blank caller ID was not treated as unknown
1.1.2 (22-May-2010)
- Added a profile option for known non-mobile numbers
1.1.3 (11-Jul-2010)
- Added a time-limit option for profiles
Main screen, inactive state
Main screen, active state (also note the notification DND icon in the status bar)
Home screen single profile widgets with one of them active alongside profile shortcuts
Profile manager/select screen, where you either select a profile to use or edit/rename/delete an existing one
The profile editor screen, where you change the settings for a specific profile (not all settings shown in image)
Starting a profile that has time limit enabled shows a dialog where you may choose a duration or an end time for the profile
Using Dindy shortcuts in AppAlarm
Using Dindy in Locale
- It has been a while since an issue with Dindy has been reported. In the past it was reported that Dindy makes the alarm silent, but this has affected a small number of users and a workaround exists for this issue.
User reviews
The following are all 5 star reviews from the Android app market, written by Dindy users:
Miguel (3-Nov-2009):
It works, so far so good. Not for everyone. Helpful for students, busy people, productive folks and for those that just wanna sleep.
Jason (12-Dec-2009):
I really like this app and the Dev is super quick with a response to feedback. Multiple profiles can be used and its simple to set up!
corina (13-Dec-2009):
Wonderful! Works like a charm!
Riël (24-Jan-2010):
It is … pretty good! And usefull, never thought of this functionality
Dalien (6-Mar-2010):
Great app use it all the time in meetings now.
Cronus (21-Mar-2010):
great! Works with locale!
andre (9-Apr-2010):
Dev is awesome, and this is a really clever app idea!!!
Aaron (18-Apr-2010):
Great app. I would love auto sms replies for incoming text messages as well.
Aaron (18-Apr-2010):
Great app. I would love auto sms replies for incoming text messages as well.
ronniel (14-May-2010):
Great idea. Great app. This app should be on every phone.
Looks like a good idea. Good luck with it.
Thanks a lot! :)
is it possible to customize default call screen?????
Hi… what exactly do you mean by default call screen?
Hey, I have been following your app for a while. I am usually pretty stingy about getting paid apps, but I love your idea and am planning on getting it soon. Can the profiles be set to start/stop at certain times? I’d like a “sleep” and “work” profile set up to automatically turn on/off at certain times. Also, I would like it if certain numbers/contacts could be excluded. Some of my contact #s are house phones, so I would want their calls to come straight through (in case of emergency). Thanks!
Hi Andre,
Thank you very much for the positive comment.
You’re not the first to request automatic start/stop with time. The good news is that Dindy will be a Locale plugin starting March 6th, when I release version 1.0.9. If you haven’t heard of Locale – it’s a very elaborate application that allows you to start different settings (including plugins) in response to different conditions (like a specific time of day, but many many more like a location condition which is suitable for work.) So that would be one solution to starting Dindy with a time setting.
The bad news is that the Locale beta (that was free) is over and now Locale costs 10$. While I think Locale is great, I also think 10$ is pretty steep. So I thought about asking the guys who make the app Timeriffic (which changes phone settings according to time) to create a similar plugin system so that Dindy could work with that. Timeriffic is free and is very highly rated (I haven’t used it myself, though.)
If that doesn’t work I might consider implementing a mechanism inside Dindy, but I can’t promise anything.
As for exclusion lists (either to always silence or always make a sound) I’m sorry but I’m not inclined to support those. First of all – note that Dindy only works for numbers you have specified as mobile, because it can’t assume that a text message will be seen if the number isn’t a mobile phone. For other numbers you specify Dindy’s behavior (see the help text for details.) What I do for the “night” profile (and that’s the default when you install Dindy) is that all non-mobile and unrecognized numbers ring on the first call. So a home number will be included in those if it’s not indicated as mobile.
Second, the overhead for a mobile caller is that he/she only needs to dial the same number twice. I realize that in a real emergency where seconds are important this isn’t a good solution, but Dindy wasn’t created to handle these cases.
One of the reasons I generally object to exclusion lists is that they might complicate Dindy for users who simply want a smart silent mode for their phones, like myself. Also, there are other apps on the market for emergency numbers which I think may work while Dindy is working.
I can’t help but feel that I’m disappointing you with my answers. As you can see in the market, Dindy still hasn’t caught on (100-500 users currently) so in the future if there’s demand for a specific feature I might implement it even if I’m not a supporter. But again… no promises.
All I can hope for is that you’ll find Dindy useful the way it is and if a feature that you asked for will be added – then it will be a bonus for your money.
Thanks again for writing. I’ll keep in mind the features you have requested.
I have the droid running the updated version 2.1. The last two times I used Dindy it did not allow my droid alarm to go off, it was silenced. I use the factory set alarm. I also use quick profiles which was set to have my alarm go off and not be silenced. Is there a way to correct this problem.
Does this work with Nexus one?
Nicole: Thanks for reporting the issue… I replied by email.
Mark: It does, although as you can see from the market comments – not for everyone. Why don’t you take it for a spin? You can always return it if it doesn’t work for you.
Hi!
How can I get dindy to my HTC Desire?Here in Finland it’s only possible to download free apps from market.
Is it possible to get the app from somewhere else??
Riku: Unfortunately there is no way I can help. Google adds copy protection that I can’t add on my own. And so that’s why I can’t just give away copies of my app.
The irony is that I’m located in Israel, where you still can’t buy apps either. So while I can distribute an app, I can’t see my own app on the market – just like yourself.
I hope that soon you will be able to get paid apps on the market and purchase Dindy.
Hi, I just bought Dindy today — I love the app. I’ve had read through the comments, and would like to add a few suggestions:
1) Could you have a per-profile setting after which the active profile ends? I understand some people want specific dates and times, but how about simply “once activated, disable after 60 minutes” where 60 minutes is configurable. That way I can set it and forget it.
2) Maybe I don’t understand the non-mobile thing, but I can’t get non-mobile calls to undo the ringer. If I call from my office phone (labeled “work” on my Android) the ringer never turns back on. My assumption was that on a known non-mobile phone, it would behave the same but just not send the text. So if someone called me twice from a non-mobile phone, it would audibly ring on the second call.
In any case, thanks for the app. Great job!
Hi Jason,
Thank you very much for the kind words. I’m glad to hear you’re happy with Dindy and I hope you continue to find it useful.
As for your comments:
1. Your idea to disable a profile after a specific time is already being worked on after a friend of mine suggested it. However, I can’t say when this feature will be available. It may take a while.
2. I’m sorry about the misunderstanding regarding the “non-mobile caller” option. Since non-mobile callers are assumed to not be able to get text messages, indeed Dindy will always behave the same for them, regardless of how many times they call. You only get the option to decide what Dindy will do when a non-mobile caller calls. This is the short answer.
The long answer is that the “non-mobile caller” option was the last option added to Dindy profiles (about a month ago). Before that there was only the “unknown caller” option. Some Dindy users requested a distinction to be made between known numbers (such as work and other landlines) and unknown numbers (that are not in the contacts list). For example, let’s say you want to go to sleep and allow anyone you know to wake you up but silence any other number. So Dindy will behave differently for the three type of numbers:
a. Known mobile callers will get the text message and will be able to call again to make the ringer go off
b. Known non-mobile callers will cause the phone to ring the first time they call (provided that you set the “non-mobile caller” option to “second call”)
c. Unknown callers will leave the ringer silent regardless of how many times they call (provided that you set the “unknown caller” option to
“first call”)
Thanks again for your feedback. I really appreciate it.
Hello,
A couple of months ago I bought this application on the market and I was always very happy with it. However, after the official update of the Motorola Milestone of last weekend (well, since then I noticed it, not sure if it is the cause), I am not able to find the Dindy application on the Markt anymore. I tried manual searches as well as the QR-barcode link but both give no results.
As I am a daily user of this application please tell me how I can get it back again. My phone is fully unbranded, EU VERSION with latest update (ending with. 36).
With kind regards,
Dennis van de Sande
Hi Dennis,
Thank you very much for bringing this issue with Dindy not being visible on the market to my attention. You are the second Dindy user to report this.
Unfortunately, I have no idea why the app doesn’t appear on the market app on your phone. All I can do is write to Google about it, hoping that they would do something to resolve this. If you look at previous complaints about apps not appearing on the market (like this one: http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=7591 ) Google’s response was “The Android team is generally not able to help with problems with specific devices. Please contact your carrier or device’s manufacturer for assistance.”
Thanks again,
Amit
(I also sent you a more extended response by email)
Hi Amit,
Thanks a lot for your great support and given solution. It was a workaround until I resolved the issue with Dindy not being available on the market: a hard reset (which I just did when I got the issue) did show up Diny again.
Now I do have an other question: Tasker-compatible. Tasker is a locale-like application with more options and a bit cheaper. At the website they state that locale plugins are compatible and should work.
It does see the locale plugin dindy, including the warning about Stopping Dindy in default mode, but it doesn’t actually active dindy or de-active dindy. You can run a test on the task but with dindy it does not seem to work. I know it is not really Dindy-related but maybe you can have a look and try to resolve it?
The 14-days trial of Tasker can be downloaded at tasker.dinglisch.net.
Thanks in advance,
Dennis
Hi Dennis,
I’m glad to hear the market issue was resolved.
As for Tasker – I’ve already talked to one of Tasker’s developers. He was very helpful and after some back and forth we found where the incompatibility between Tasker and Dindy was. Eventually that developer said that the next Tasker update should work with Dindy. I’m expecting the update myself to test it.
Thanks for reporting this to me,
Amit
hi , i am from denmark and we dont have the opportunity to pay for the program via android marked, is there another way that I can get the program (dindy) to my phone (htc desire with froyo). I have read your response to riku, but i am hoping you have a solution to the problem now
Hi skou,
Unfortunately I have no plans to sell Dindy through alternative
channels other than the app market. Not too long ago Google announced
that it will be possible to pay on the market with PayPal, so I hope
that will work for you.
first of all, thank you for the quick response, i will try the solution with paypal and hope it works that way, and again thank you
hi