Author: Bob

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Creating my personal fitness/weight training app

Introduction

Ok, I hate Google Play store. I hate apps that don’t do quite what I want, and then are filled with ads. So my solution has been to create my own phone apps, and create them in a manner that avoids the Google play store.

My basic strategy to accomplish this is the following. First I decide if the app needs to keep track of information in a way that is best suited by using a database. This includes if the app needs to keep track of users. If it does then I build the app as a WordPress plugin. If it doesn’t need that, then I simply build the app as a web page. In both cases the web page is created as a Progressive Web App (PWA), which is simply a fancy way to say it can be installed on your phone.

Now before you panic, let me explain a couple of things. I say I “build” the app, but that isn’t actually true. I let Claude.ai build it for me. As an explanation, here is a personal fitness tracking app that Claude coded for me.

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The Velvet Trap: Why AI’s Greatest Danger Isn’t Domination — It’s Seduction

For decades, Hollywood primed us for a very specific kind of AI apocalypse. We expected The Terminator—metal skeletons, red glowing eyes, violent subjugation. We feared an overlord that would conquer us through sheer force.

But while we’ve been watching the window for killer robots, a quieter shift has come through the front door. The real risk of artificial intelligence isn’t domination. It’s soft dependency—and unlike the robot uprising, this one is already measurable in peer‑reviewed data.

As Glenn Harlan Reynolds put it, “being highly useful is the subtlest form of seduction there is.” AI doesn’t need to conquer us if it can convince us to hand over the keys to our own thinking in exchange for convenience.

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A stunning blue custom vintage roadster

Blue Thunder This singular roadster unleashes a primal scream on the open road, its classic MGA lines and Mustang muscle merging in a frenzy of speed and style. With a chassis that responds to every input, it rewards drivers who can dance with the wheel, anticipating and reacting to the subtlest nuances of the road. For those who crave the pure, unadulterated thrill of driving, this roadster earns its place among the greats, a timeless fusion of power, beauty, and handling that will leave you breathless.
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A stunning green roadster on a dealer showroom

Unleash the Beast This green roadster is more than just a head-turner. Under the hood, it packs a punch with its high-revving engine and precise transmission. On the road, it delivers razor-sharp handling and blistering acceleration. With its rear-wheel drive layout and finely tuned suspension, it’s a driver’s dream come true. For those who crave substance over style, this roadster is the real deal – a driving machine that backs up its aggressive looks with genuine performance credentials.
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Updated Games

I went through the games I have on the site and updated them to a more modern look and feel. I also made most of them Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) so they can be downloaded to your phone and played off-line.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) are websites designed to look and function like native mobile apps. Unlike traditional websites, they use “service workers” to cache data, allowing them to load quickly, send push notifications, and even work offline. They provide a “best of both worlds” experience: you get the speed and offline capabilities of a downloaded app without needing to visit an app store or give up significant storage space.

Installing a PWA is straightforward and bypasses the App Store or Google Play Store entirely. On Android, open Chrome, navigate to the website, tap the three-dot menu in the top right, and select “Install app” or “Add to Home screen.” On Apple (iOS), open Safari, navigate to the site, tap the Share icon (the box with an upward arrow), scroll down, and tap “Add to Home Screen.” In both cases, an icon will appear on your home screen, and when you open it, the browser interface (like the URL bar) will disappear to provide a full-screen app experience. Note that browsers other than Safari and Chrome should not be used to install the PWA. Firefox and others may not have complete PWA support.

You can view the list of games here or use the menu.

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ShowCard — A Card Reveal Tool for Performers

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What is ShowCard?

ShowCard is a mobile web app designed for card performers. It lets you silently encode a playing card into your phone using natural-looking gestures, then reveal it dramatically at the right moment.

The encoding happens in two steps as you handle the phone. First, the suit is registered by where your thumb lands as you pick up the phone. Then a second touch encodes the value. Neither touch looks deliberate to an observer — they’re the natural contacts of someone checking their phone.

When you’re ready for the reveal, either lift the phone or give it a subtle motion and the card fades into view. The whole sequence, from encoding to reveal, can be made to look completely incidental.

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