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Nano Timer, Android speedcubing timer

NanoTimer

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Aug 30, 2014
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36
Nano Timer, Android speedcubing timer now free and open source!

Hello,

I am thrilled to present to you Nano Timer, a timer for Android that I have been developing over the last year.

Here's the link for those who want to try it right now (click on the image):


Why to develop one more timer you may ask? What's different with this one? Well i would answer that this one offers some previously unseen features, making it very convenient and pleasant to use. It is also a good mix between a nice and user-friendly interface, and some advanced functionalities that suit everyone, from beginners to experts.

One of those features is the new "Solve type" functionality. A solve type represents an alternative way to solve the cube, and allows you to keep a separate history for a same cube type. You would use solve types for things like one-handed, blindfolded, slow practice or other methods like roux, petrus, etc. This will allow you to practice with other methods or challenges without affecting your normal averages.
You can also edit solve types from the Options menu to define you own, delete the ones you don't need, or even add some steps to time them separately (like cross, F2L, OLL, PLL).

Among those features you will find:
• Scramble generation for many cube types
• Define your own solve types to have separate histories for a same cube type
• Lots of customization options
• Multiple-steps timer allowing you to know where you should focus your practice (pre-registered steps, or define your own)
• Special scramble types to practice only F2L, last layer, PLL and more
• Graphs
• Times import/export
• Cubing sessions
• Random-state scrambles for 3x3x3, 2x2x2, Square-1 and Pyraminx
• Special blind solve type with blind-specific fields like success rate, last/best Mo3 and average of successes
• Keep track of your averages and your best times

I am looking forward to hearing your thoughts, ideas and comments. Don't hesitate to post here or to send me a PM or a mail if you encounter any problem, bug or anything else, I would be happy to help you.

If you like Nano Timer, I would be grateful if you could add a favorable rating and comment on android Play Store.

You can access the Play Store page from the following URL:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cube.nanotimer

GitHub: https://github.com/Morgoth890/nanoTimer
 
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NanoTimer

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Aug 30, 2014
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Are they any good?

Sure they are. The scrambles are optimized to the WCA norm while avoiding to turn opposite faces in a row to be more effective. I also used a special colored format on multiple rows to display it to avoid confusion between the moves while scrambling.

For the history, you can scroll through the whole history for cube types / solve types and for each of them see of course the solve time and date, but also the scramble, the steps times (if you configured some steps) and also do +2 / DNF or delete.

But the best would probably be to judge it by yourself :)

EDIT: Scrambles for 3x3x3 and 2x2x2 are now random-state, with possibility to pre-generate them and to choose their quality (max length).
 
Last edited:

Lucas Garron

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Sure they are. The scrambles are optimized to the WCA norm while avoiding to turn opposite faces in a row to be more effective.
What in Thistlethwaite's name is that supposed to mean?

But the best would probably be to judge it by yourself :)
I don't have an Android device these days, and the source for your timer doesn't appear to be available.
 

NanoTimer

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Aug 30, 2014
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What in Thistlethwaite's name is that supposed to mean?

What it means is that scrambles are meant to be effective, not just some random moves that can be useless, like in some timer/scrambler apps who sometimes generate moves like "F B F". This may sound obvious but i don't see what you mean exactly when asking if the scrambles are any good, because in the end they are just scrambles.

25 moves for 3x3 doesn't look like the WCA norm.

Indeed it looks like the timer named "official" uses 30 moves. However the 4 other timers i've been using use 25 moves scrambles for 3x3. I might either change it, or add an option to select the desired scramble length for each cube. Thanks for commenting.
 

Carrot

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Nanotimer:
They asking if you are using random-state scramblers for 3x3x3, pyraminx, 2x2x2 and square-1 (WCA standards) and your answer is that you are using random moves, which is no longer the standard.
 

NanoTimer

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Aug 30, 2014
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What? Where is sq1?
Square-1 is still up to come, and will be in the upcoming release. I decided to already upload my timer now so that i can get some comments while adding more functionalities like that one.

Nanotimer:
They asking if you are using random-state scramblers for 3x3x3, pyraminx, 2x2x2 and square-1 (WCA standards) and your answer is that you are using random moves, which is no longer the standard.
Ok I see what you mean. I'm indeed using random moves and not a random-state scrambler. It might be a bit heavy for portable devices though. But i will add that as something to investigate to see if it could be included as an option.

Thank you guys
 

NanoTimer

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Aug 30, 2014
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I ask because if someone out there is falsely pretending to be official (as far as I know, 30 moves never was), we should try to stop them.

The scrambler named "WCA Official Cube Scrambler" has a default length of 30 (here: http://www.jaapsch.net/scramble_cube.htm). It does not clearly say that it's the official length though, but it's the default one.
I just read about random-state scrambles and it's very interesting indeed. I will definitely consider implementing it in my app.

Good app. The CFOP option is great, and I already gave you a 5* on Play. First person to comment!

Thank you very much, i really appreciate!
 
Last edited:

Stefan

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The scrambler named "WCA Official Cube Scrambler" has a default length of 30 (here: http://www.jaapsch.net/scramble_cube.htm). It does not clearly say that it's the official length though, but it's the default one.

Ok, thanks. That actually was the official scrambler, though it was used (see Article 4) by setting the length parameter to 25. The default length is a bit unfortunate, I agree. Oh well, at least it's too high, not too low.
 

Jakube

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25 random should be sufficient for an mobil app. I don't see any need for 2-3 move shorter random state scrambles.
But you definitly should work on making the pyraminx scrambles shorter.

I really like the timer layout.
One few little notes thought: The times in the 4x3 table should be ordered in the opposite order. This order seem really strange.

And a request: Adding custum solve types would be sweet. Or at least add predefined types for BLD.
 

NanoTimer

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Aug 30, 2014
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Does this or will it have a function that let's you export sessions to a spreadsheet?
This is definitely a functionality I'm planning to include. Not sure about the export format yet. It would probably allow to send session times by mail, maybe in CSV format (could be opened with excel). But I still have to figure out how to link the times with custom solve types etc. I will update the main topic and post a new message when I add new functionalities so you will be able to see when it's uploaded.

25 random should be sufficient for an mobil app. I don't see any need for 2-3 move shorter random state scrambles.
But you definitly should work on making the pyraminx scrambles shorter.

I really like the timer layout.
One few little notes thought: The times in the 4x3 table should be ordered in the opposite order. This order seem really strange.

And a request: Adding custum solve types would be sweet. Or at least add predefined types for BLD.

Thanks for these comments, I'm going to look into it.

And about your request, that is already taken care of. Maybe I should make it more visible but you can define your own solve types in the options menu (by pressing the menu key from the history screen). There you can add / remove solve types, add your own solve type steps etc.
 

NanoTimer

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