[Android Apps and Games] gildan27:
I was inspired for this by Fiqett, who created a Siri plugin that communicates with a PHP script that can start his car via his Viper SmartStart system. Much credit to him for the idea and the script.

This does something similar on Android (using Vlingo), along with some extra features (you can schedule the car to start based on the location of your phone and the current temperature).

What does it do?

You can start Vlingo and say “Start my car” and the car will start (you need a phone-capable Viper SmartStart system)

You can just tap the app and the car will start

You can schedule the car to start automatically at a certain time if the phone is at a defined location and if the temperature is below a defined setting

Please read this post completely before downloading. Some setup is required. Do not hesitate to ask if you are having trouble setting it up.

What does this require?

A phone-compatible Viper SmartStart system or module

An Android SmartPhone running Android 2.2 or later. I have tested this on a Galaxy Nexus and a Motorola Droid 1.

Fiquett's viper_control.php script (https://github.com/fiquett/Viper_SmartStart_Control)

A web server running PHP to run the control script (something like Xampp will work fine [http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html]). If there is enough interest in this, I can provide detailed instructions for configuring Xampp, but the configuration is straightforward.

My Android app (My Car, links below)

Vlingo (https://market.android.com/details?id=com.vlingo.client)

AndroidIdeas's TaskBomb (https://market.android.com/details?id=org.androidideas.taskbomb&hl=en) (any scheduler that can launch an activity will work)

How do I set it up?

Download Fiquett's viper_control.php script (https://github.com/fiquett/Viper_SmartStart_Control). Edit lines 9 and 10 to include your Viper username and password. Because the username and password are hardcoded in the script, the credentials are never passed insecurely between the phone and the server. The control script logs into Viper's servers and performs the requested action over HTTPS, so it is secure.

Put viper_control.php on a web server that is running PHP. I have it on a website hosted on GoDaddy.com. It would be more secure to put it on your home network and only access it via WiFi. You could also forward ports on your router so it could be accessible from anywhere. Something like Xampp (http://www.apachefriends.org/en/xampp.html) would probably run the script fine on Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux. Anyone with the knowledge that the script exists can start or unlock the car. Thus, the most secure way is to only access it via WiFi.

Once the script is set up, you should be able to go to your control URL in a browser (followed by ?action=remote) and the car should start (for example, http://192.168.0.100/viper_control.php?action=remote).

Install My Car (link is below).

Start the My Car Configuration app. Enter the URL for your viper_control.php script (do not put ?action=remote on the end). The other settings are optional and are for the Start My Car If app, which will start the car if the car is in the provided city and the temperature is under the provided value. Make sure you click Exit when you are done. Otherwise, Vlingo or TaskBomb might start the configuration instead of the car.

Run the My Car app. The car should start. If you run it again, the car should shut off.

Install Vlingo. I checked the Auto Listen box at the bottom so that it will start listening as soon as I start Vlingo (or you could use a Vlingo widget). You should be able to say “Start my car” to start the car.

Install TaskBomb for scheduling the car to start. Launch it, and go to Tasks. Add a new task, and name it “Start My Car.” Change the Action Type to MAIN. For Activity, select Start My Car If. Leave all other settings as they are. Go to Alarms. Add a new alarm, and select the task you just created. Set the schedule as desired. Mine runs Monday-Friday at 7:20am.

How do I get it?

Download the APK here:

http://www.ascci.net/mycar/MyCar.apk

Note: Google Chrome on ICS appears to rename this to a .zip file. Use a file manager to name it back or use the stock browser.

Plans for future versions:

App icons (I’m not very good at those, but I will take a stab at it if people use the app)

Display something to indicate if the car started or not

A way to start the car and immediately unlock it--for when you are in sight of it and want to start it just to be cool.

Any feedback, questions, or suggestions are welcome!