April 30, 2021

Android Developer Challenge: Jetpack Compose

An Android Developer Challenge was announced during the beta release of Jetpack Compose. There are four weekly weekly challenges using Jetpack Compose to build Android apps. I joined the first two weeks and was one of the 500 winners for both challenges.

In the first week, the challenge was to build a puppy adoption app with an overview screen that displays a list of puppies and a detail screens. I made a simple app and got the images and details from BC SPCA. At the bottom of the details screen, I added an Adopt button that opens the link to the dog's details page on BC SPCA. I won a limited edition trophy of the Jetpack Compose superhero made of LEGO bricks.

The challenge for the second week was to create a working single screen countdown timer. My app is a simple one where users can set the hour, minute, and second and display the time remaining. Users can also stop the countdown and will be brought back to the "input" screen. Once the timer runs out, a "Time's up!" text will be displayed too. The prize was a Jetpack Compose poster and a set of Android pencils, and a limited edition Jetpack Compose comic strip poster.

I was able to learn and try Jetpack Compose by participating in the Android Developer Challenge. The prizes were additional bonus for me. I'll continue looking into Jetpack Compose and maybe I can use it in a project soon.

April 20, 2021

Virtual Vancouver Sun Run 2021

It's been two years since the last time I ran. I wasn't able to join a virtual run last year and my last run was at Vancouver Sun Run 2019. This year, I planned to try virtual runs. My first virtual run is the Vancouver Sun Run 2021.


Image from vancouversunrun.com

Vancouver Sun Run is Canada’s largest 10K race. They have a virtual race from April 18-30 for this year. I decided to do mine on the first day while the weather is good. It was a very sunny and hot day. I finished my 10k run in 1:10:27.

The virtual run feels like the usual run I do. I kind of miss the start/finish line, running on the open road, the pre-race stuff, and the post-race celebrations. Hopefully, running events will be back to normal next year.