Mobile Python: Rapid Prototyping of Applications on the Mobile Platform

7.8. Summary

In this chapter we have covered the Bluetooth functionality of the phone. We shared photos with a nearby phone and made a chat application for a pair of phones. We showed how simple it is to communicate with a PC, either with a standard terminal emulator or server software of your own.

Traditionally, people have connected their mobile phones to PCs to synchronize contact information or calendars – considering the plethora of possibilities, this just scratches the surface. The mobile phone can take full control of the PC using simple methods, which was shown by the AppleScript example.

We also demonstrated how to use the telephone programmatically and how to find people in the address book. Even though telephone is not the most trendy communication method nowadays, it is undoubtedly the most ubiquitous and most compatible, which makes it still highly relevant. In Section 7.7, we gave an overview of the sysinfo module which is a treasure trove of information about the system state.

Now that you can fully control everything in the five meters around you, or at least everything that understands Bluetooth, it is time to look further. The next two chapters introduce you to networking, which gives you the necessary tools to communicate with practically any server in the world.

You should keep in mind that, even on the Internet, your greatest asset may be the five meters around you: when anyone on the Internet needs information from that area, you and your mobile phone may ...