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By: Jim Schrempp | Posted: April 4, 2014 | Updated: April 19, 2023
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The Problem to be Solved
Regular card playing group can’t get together any more
A group of friends used to get together regularly to play cards. One moved away. The others are getting older and have trouble getting out at night. They think they can’t get together any more. But perhaps they can. What to do?
Solution Details
The solution I envision (and I would love other thoughts on this) is an app that runs on Android or iOS (cross platform is great. Single platform works. Either platform is ok with me).
Each person playing hearts would have their own tablet. They would be able to rendezvous with their card partners. Each tablet would show video of the other players and allow an open mic conference.
Each tablet would
- have some controls for the card game itself, such as Deal Cards, End Game, etc.
- show the cards for the specific player
- show the “already taken” tricks of other players
- show a video stream of each of the other players
- allow a player to rearrange the cards in their hand
- prompt a player when it is their turn to play
- allow a player to play a card from their hand
- display the other cards that have been played for the current trick
- be able to connect with other players without needing any network firewall configuration
The app should
- have simple controls that are very, very easy to see and very, very easy to manipulate. Remember that as Joe and Joanne age their eyesight will decline and so will fine motor skills.
- degrade video streams to compensate for the available network bandwidth. Keeping the audio and the game alive is a priority.
Each tablet might
- show the scores of the game. This is not that important as Joe, Joanne, and Sarah usually keep score on a paper pad. This solution is not meant to be a complete score keeping, high score, who’s winning Hearts app. This app is meant to allow the social interaction of playing cards.
The app does not need
- a chat window. The players want to talk to each other; they do not want to text chat.
- long term leader board. The players just want to play friendly games. Competition is not the point.
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Author
Jim Schrempp
A software engineer by training, I worked at Hewlett Packard for 19 years – back when it was a great company. In 1999 I left HP to co-found Audible Magic, a media identification company. In 2016 I retired. Now I spend my time working on problems that interest me, like applying technology to the issues of aging. I was co-host of a MeetUp on Aging in Place that started in 2014 and ran for two years. I’m a technology volunteer with The Villages of San Mateo County. I have created several open source projects, enjoy reading and cooking – especially modernist cuisine. We travel and spend much time with our friends. In my spare time I make little IoT devices. I spend a tremendous amount of time and energy as a volunteer at Maker Nexus, a non-profit makerspace in Sunnyvale, California. If you’re in the area you should stop by for a tour – the place is fantastic.
