Enable IIAB browsing *during* WhatsApp/IP messaging

[holta]

Currently, Android phones cut off the user's 3G mobile data connection to the Internet when they're interacting with a nearby Internet-in-a-Box. Increasingly this is no longer acceptable: a growing number of users will no longer accept interruption of their mobile data(*) when connecting their Android phone to a local Internet-in-a-Box (typically over USB tether, Bluetooth or WiFi).

(*) often this is a very limited 3G data plan in the developing world, used for family messaging, and is increasingly replacing pay-per-use SMS, as it's perceived to be less expensive (and better) than classic text messaging.

Is a separate APK (Android app) browser perhaps necessary, so Android users can truly read/learn from their IIAB device in many/most/all diverse conditions? What are the best way(s) we can enable Android phone users to reliably/instantly access their IIAB (or Internet-in-a-Purse) content whenever they want and need to, thruout their daily lives?

Challenge Recap: increasingly people need immediate and bureaucracy-free access to http://[IIAB-IP-ADDRESS] at the exact same time as live WhatsApp messaging (over their personal + very limited 3G mobile data connection). This reading/interacting with IIAB materials needs to work while Android phone users are chatting with their spouse/family via a 3G mobile data IP-based messaging app (like WhatsApp or similar). An "Internet in a Box" APK (i.e. Android app, that is not much more that a browser) might be one great way to make such hassle-free local routing happen?

Background Context: pricy/classical SMS is (increasingly) falling out of favor among developing world go-getters, folks who increasingly no longer tolerate interruptions to their 3G mobile data connection (however meager...) Consequently: they're urgently asking us to enable their offline Wikipedia research and watching of offline medical videos (etc) that will enrich their minds without disrupting their very basic 3G connection/lifeline~

Thanks @darkenvy & all for your design feedback.

[jvonau]

Noted that avahi is installed, configured, and appears to beacon what we want.

Sep 10 06:46:14 raspberrypi avahi-daemon[358]: Service "MGMT console at raspberrypi " (/services/schoolserver.service) successfully established.
Sep 10 06:46:15 raspberrypi avahi-daemon[358]: Files changed, reloading.
Sep 10 06:46:15 raspberrypi avahi-daemon[358]: Loading service file /services/ssh.service.
Sep 10 06:46:16 raspberrypi avahi-daemon[358]: Service "raspberrypi" (/services/ssh.service) successfully established.

I did not note if there was a multicast route present, that would be important when dealing with a multi-homed host. Worth digging deeper as the apk could use mdns to find the "box" with a pre-defined service to home-in on without needing to know the hostname or ip address of the server beforehand.

[jvonau]

Refs: https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-use-Wi-Fi-and-3G-simultaneously-on-a-smartphone-If-not-why-not
download booster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM9-q7jDMaY

[holta]

@darkenvy: excellent preliminary discussion begun during today's community/team call [*] on pulling the critical+central need together — with or without an Android app, Keep In Touch!

[*] see http://minutes.iiab.io Item 3. @ Oct 23, 2017

Context in a "3G 3rd World" : we need to nail this or similar for IIAB 6.6 to ship in January or so — such that middle-class users in emerging economies / developing countries can use their personal IIAB's for high-bandwidth educational videos etc unimpeded — while at the very same time preserving their family/professional/social lifelines (WhatsApp over 3G mobile data typically).

CLARIF #1: WhatsApp on Android, or similar low-bandwidth social apps, have essentially replaced SMS in recent years, across many of these upper/middle-class demographics — while at the same time these are folk who still very much want + deserve a high-bandwidth (FREE) connection to their in-home/in-school IIAB library.

CLARIF #2: Sometimes WhatApp/etc use institutional WiFi for live Internet, offered by an employer or school, rather than 3G mobile data. Yet another reason Bluetooth or a physical cable may be preferred for smartphone(s) needing access to IIAB / Internet-in-a-Purse.

[holta]

Plz see summary notes from Oct 23 & Oct 26 calls @ http://minutes.iiab.io where this (#255) was discussed among many.

[holta]

@darkenvy is making actual progress designing an IIAB Android app — that allows near-simultaneous use of WhatsApp!

For now he's assuming IIAB will almost always be accessed over Wi-Fi.

But in future there a possibility IIAB might possibly be accessed from smartphones over Bluetooth or with an actual USB wire, in an Internet-in-a-Purse model or similar.

Reno's using React Native which is a JavaScript library from Facebook. Its WebKit-based browser may be minimal but fully works for our purposes (not interrupting medical clinicians' workflow, who also want WhatsApp IM's while using IIAB!)

RELATED: #608 "Captive Portal experimental support summary in FAQ.IIAB.IO ?"

Please write up a quick outline here when you can Reno, so others in the field can help guide requirements & final product!

[arky]

@darkenvy Please kindly keep me posted about your exploration with JavaScript libraries.

Our friends at Mozilla are working on interesting Web API for decentralized web. I think these experimental API would be interesting to look at in future.

[holta]

@darkenvy plz give us an update on the most plausible attack vectors to crack this nut?

(...to assist others in framing the dilemma at the very minimum?)