Aux
Description:
Aux is an android application that allows users to queue individual songs on one users device. Aux uses a kahoot-style code verification system to create a session that users can then join and send in their song selections. Aux is the perfect tool for music fans and casual listeners alike. Who has the aux? You have the aux!
Inspiration:
If you've ever been in a long car ride with friends or simply a small gathering of friends, then you know how difficult it can be to steal the aux cord to play one of your favorite songs. With our app, you can now put the power in the hands of the people and make for a collaborative listening environment. With this tool, aux privileges finally becomes a democracy.
What it does:
Our project allows users to connect to a host 'session' via a 5 character key code and enqueue songs directly into the host's Spotify account. Aux aims to act as discretely as possible to make the queue actions seem as seamless as possible.
How we built it:
We used Java inside Android Studio to develop the core functionality of the application. The data is stored via a Firebase real-time database and piped to the host's Spotify account through the Spotify API.
Challenges we ran into:
None of us were familiar with Android development in the slightest so we were forced to look up every single action we were to make. Despite this, we we're able to find heaps of documentation online that walked us through any obstacles we faced. Additionally, we encountered a lot of issues with the Firebase database, where we couldn't store data in a key-value manner like we were used to in other database management systems.
Accomplishments that we're proud of:
We are proud to have created a system that is 'kahoot-like' in the sense that we can use a randomly generated code to grant access to a session. This allows for an easy to use system that is attractive to a wide range of users and has the potential to be popular on a large scale once optimized for the average user.
What we learned:
We are now familiar with Android development which we have all agreed to continue in the future past the hackathon in order to perfect this app. Moreover, we are also more proficient with using Firebase to host our data so we may use this in future projects. Many of us strengthened our git version control skills by requiring us to resolve various merge conflicts and outdated code.
What's next:
We will all continue to develop this app past the hackathon. After optimizing our app to run in the background while using as minimal resources as possible, we will then develop an iPhone app in hopes to appeal to the wider college audience. We believe this is an extremely useful tool that a lot of people would make use of and are dedicated to developing this app for our own convenience and for the ease of access for music lovers everywhere.
Built with:
We used Java in Android Studio for the back-end, HTML/XML for the front end, Firebase for the database, the Spotify API to handle music-related queries, and git for version control.
Prizes we're going for:
HAVIT RGB Mechanical Keyboard
Google Home Mini
TBI Pro Gaming Headset
$100 Amazon Gift Cards
Hustle Award
Social Entrepreneurship Award
Grand Prize
Blu R2 Plus Smartphones
Misfit Shine 2