Prox Pro. An Android App to Wave & Command your Phone
by Paul Wilks
Jun 27, 2011 9:24 AM –
Install
Prox Pro is an app that allows you to control your phone using its inbuilt proximity sensor. Combining the angle your phone is tilted at with different gestures places you in control of certain functions of your phone without having to touch it. Set it up correctly, and with a little practice, you can perform a variety of useful, although basic tasks by waving your hand across the screen. Go on, whisper it: “Jedi”!
Price: $1.99
Tested on: HTC Desire HD
Content Rating: Everyone
Pros & Cons:
Pros
- Variety of tasks can be performed: expand and contract the status bar, replicate home button action, turn off the screen, toggle ringer mode, display pre-set texts, launch an application or play a tone.
- Various loadouts that can be scrolled through.
- Works consistently and effectively.
- Continually developed.
- Looks impressive and might have great applications for specific apps or games.
Cons
- While, great utilization of proximity controls, might not out-rightly replace usual actions.
- Takes a bit of practice to get used to.
Features:
Prox Pro is a very cool application that permits you to control certain functions on your phone with the use of gestures combined with the angle at which your phone is tilted. The phone can be tilted in several directions: flat, toward, away, left and right. Each will then react differently when you swipe your hand across the screen. So you could set it to go to your home screen when you tilt the phone towards you and swipe your hand across. Alternatively you could launch an application by swiping your hand across while the phone is tilted away from you… and so on.
Each tilt angle action can be grouped into a set, known as a loadout. So, Custom Loadout 1 will perform a particular set of pre-set tasks, but you can scroll through these loadouts in order to perform a whole new set of tasks. There are 4 different loadouts, three of which are customisable. One such loadout is called ‘Timer Loadout’, which doesn’t require tilting but instead reacts to gestures depending on the time you do it- better if your phone is docked or not in your hand.
If your mind switched off after the first paragraph of this review, don’t worry too much as the app is quite a complex idea to explain, and it took me a while to get my head around using it properly. Fortunately the developers of Prox Pro recognise this; there is extensive guidance in the application and a good 5 minute video tutorial which is also included below. This also demonstrates some of the different functions you can perform.
The app works very well and after some tinkering you can get it to perform a number of useful functions without having to touch your screen. So, with a wave you can go to your home screen and another you can open up Facebook. Tilt the phone in another way and it can open up your Twitter, or even silence your phone if it is ringing. While this is very cool, think how impressed your friends will be!
Using the app for a few days led me to one thought however, and it’s a practical one. I had to ask myself if this would genuinely change or replace the way I interact with my phone currently. You have to activate the app in order for these functions to work whereas, for example, returning to my home screen is something easier performed by pressing the home button in the first place. Without doubt the app works, and is very impressive in that it performs consistently and doesn’t ‘fall-out’. It’s a very clever way of navigating your phone, although not the most practical in terms of everyday usage. I think however the potential for the app’s framework, ability and consistency could be huge, I’m just not quite sure how or where. Regardless of this, Prox Pro is without a doubt an exciting and dynamic application that pushes the boundaries of Android usage and challenges the possibilities of controlling your phone.
Usual screen shots are below, but getting a gist of the app from these isn’t really possible. Do check out the video though for a much more comprehensive introduction to the app.
Watch on Mobile
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Prox Pro – Main Screen
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Prox Pro – Main Screen with menu
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Prox Pro – Settings
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Prox Pro – Timer Loadout
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Prox Pro – Tilt Values Screen
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Prox Pro – Loadout configuration.
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Prox Pro – Admin Rights required.
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Prox Pro – Actions
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Prox Pro – Help 1
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Prox Pro – Help 2
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Prox Pro – Help 3
Usefulness:
I am unsure of Prox Pro will immediately and fundamentally change the way you use your phone right now, however in utilising the phones proximity sensors the app demonstrates what your phone is capable of. While it is useful to see these functions, it might not be a significant practical use to an average user.
Ease of Use:
There is quite a lot to get your head around when you first start but the tutorials and video are great for helping you understand the application. Once you have set up the app the way you want, simply moving your hand over your phone couldn’t get much easier. However, you will also have to remember what settings you originally created; as you can have quite a few options that might be challenging unless you use the application a lot.
Frequently Used:
This really depends on the user. I genuinely think if you got into it and use your phone in a certain way you might use the app on a daily basis to perform certain tasks- swiping your hand over the screen is certainly easier than opening your app draw, scrolling down and selecting an application. To get to this point however might take a bit of practice. Without that investment of time, Prox Pro might only be something you dazzle your friends with on an occasional basis.
Interface:
The interface is simple; clean, polished and practical. What’s vital is what the app can do, rather than how it looks.
Tags:
Android App,
Android Apps,
AndroidTapp.com App Review,
Gesture Actions,
Pro Pro,
Proximity,
Wave to Command your Phone
Categorised in: Demo, Entertainment, Productivity
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