Quick Start: Create Your First Carousel
Use these steps to create and run a simple carousel in a few minutes. You can change durations, add more content, and configure schedules later.
Before you begin
- •Install AppCarousel on a compatible Android phone, tablet, smart TV, or display unit.
- •For long-running or permanent displays, keep the device connected to a suitable power supply.
- •Connect to the internet if you plan to show websites, use live widgets, cast to another screen, or sync from Dropbox or OneDrive.
- •Have at least one item ready to display: an installed app, a photo or video, a media folder, a website address, or a built-in widget.
Stop playback
To return to the Home Screen, rapidly tap three times in the top-middle exit area. This gesture still works when the exit button is hidden.
Set up and start playback
- 1Open AppCarousel. On the Welcome Screen, tap GET STARTED.
- 2Allow the permissions needed for your content. Media access is required for local photos and videos. Location is required for automatic Weather and Solar information. Appear on Top supports smooth overlays, and Modify System Settings is required to allow AppCarousel to control screen brightness. Phone and notification permissions support interruption handling and reliable background operation. The app is designed with a strict no data collection or sharing policy so these settings enable functionality only.
- 3Add your first item. On the Home Screen, tap APP, MEDIA, ALBUM, or WEBSITE, then select the content. To add a built-in widget, tap APP, choose the Widget tab, and select a widget.
- 4Add at least one more item so you can see the carousel rotate between items.
- 5Set the timing. Use the duration slider on each item card to choose how long it remains on screen. Videos play for their file duration. Long-press the slider for precise duration settings.
- 6Arrange the order. Long-press an item card and drag it to the required position.
- 7Start the carousel. Tap START PLAYLIST in the bottom control dock.
Optional next steps: Create additional playlists, set a weekly schedule, connect a cloud account, or open Settings to adjust brightness, transitions, widgets, and interruption rules.
1. Introduction
Overview
AppCarousel (by 360 Wonder) is an advanced Android kiosk, slideshow, and digital signage application. It transforms any compatible Android device — smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, or dedicated display units — into an automated, interactive content carousel. AppCarousel continuously cycles through a customised sequence of installed applications, live web pages, photo and video media albums, and real-time informational widgets.
Key Capabilities
Multi-Content Rotation
Mix live Android applications, media files/albums, websites, and dynamic built-in widgets into a seamless, automated loop.
Dynamic Built-In Widgets
Dedicated full-screen displays for Clock, Weather, Solar Generation Prediction, Sports Ticker, and News Ticker.
Multi-Playlist Management & 7-Day Timetable Automation
Create distinct playlists for different contexts (e.g., business hours, menu availability, home display, night mode) and schedule them across a 7-day weekly timetable.
Seamless Cloud Synchronisation
Connect Dropbox and OneDrive accounts to sync remote media folders automatically to local albums in real time.
Smart Brightness & Energy Saver
Configure automated Day/Night brightness schedules and enable Night Blackout Mode to save power and prevent display burn-in.
Screen Casting & Mirroring
Wirelessly cast your carousel playback to external smart TVs or displays using Google Cast, Samsung Smart View / Miracast, or DLNA.
Kiosk Protection & Escape Safety
Built-in interruption detection for incoming phone calls, alarms, emergency alerts, low battery, and system navigation gestures, paired with a secure Triple-Tap Exit Zone.
2. Getting Started
First-Launch Experience
When you launch AppCarousel for the first time, you are greeted by the Welcome Screen. This screen introduces the core capabilities of the app.
Unlimited Playlists
Highlights how to group content into custom playlists.
Smart Scheduling
Explains the 7-day weekly automated timetable.
Seamless Cloud Sync
Details remote folder synchronisation via Dropbox and OneDrive.
Apps, Media & Web
Shows how to combine applications, photo albums, and live web dashboards.
Smart Protection
Explains automatic safety pauses for phone calls, alarms, and low battery.
Cast to Any Screen
Demonstrates casting your carousel to external displays.
You can check the "Don't show me again" box to bypass this introduction on future app launches, or tap GET STARTED to proceed to the main interface.
Required Permissions & Why They Are Needed
To deliver a smooth kiosk experience, adjust screen brightness, and handle interruptions safely, AppCarousel requests the following system permissions:
| Permission | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Appear on Top (System Overlay) | Allows AppCarousel to render smooth transitions, widgets, and exit overlays over other running applications. |
| Modify System Settings | Enables automated screen brightness adjustments between your scheduled Day and Night hours. |
| Storage / Media Access | Grants access to your local media gallery folders and photo/video files for carousel playback. |
| Location Access | Automatically detects your city coordinates to fetch accurate weather forecasts and solar energy predictions. |
| Notification Alerts | Keeps the background carousel service running reliably without being shut down by Android memory management. |
| Phone State Access | Detects incoming cellular phone calls so the carousel can automatically pause or exit during calls. |
Home Screen Layout Overview
The Home Screen is the central command hub of AppCarousel:
Top Header Bar
- Language Icon: Opens the built-in language selection options.
- App Title: Shows the application title.
- Cast Button: Opens the Screens hub for casting to external TVs or Chromecasts.
- Settings Icon: Opens the main Settings Menu.
- Playlist Button: Switch between saved playlists, create new playlists or delete/rename existing playlists.
Action Row (Content Selector)
- APP Button: Select installed or system Android applications or built-in widgets to add to the carousel loop.
- MEDIA Button: Pick individual photo or video files from local storage.
- ALBUM Button: Choose local photo folders or create App-Managed Albums.
- WEBSITE Button: Insert custom web page URLs and live web dashboards.
Main Sequence List
- Displays a re-orderable stack of cards representing the current playlist.
- Each card displays the item title, icon, inline duration slider (e.g. 5s – 600s), refresh setting button, drag handle, and delete icon upon sliding card left.
- Items no longer accessible on the device display a red MISSING warning tag for easy identification.
Bottom Control Dock
- Clear Button: Removes all items from the current sequence after confirmation.
- START SCHEDULE / PLAYLIST Buttons: Launches full-screen automated carousel playback based on full 7-day schedule or existing playlist.
3. Core Features
Feature 1: Adding & Managing Installed Applications
Home Screen → Tap APP button
Displays an App Picker dialog containing search and category filter tabs (Installed, System, Widget). Selecting an application adds it directly to the top of the current playlist in your carousel sequence.
Step-by-step
- 1On the Home Screen, tap APP.
- 2Use the search bar or category filters to locate your desired application.
- 3Tap the application name to insert it into your sequence list.
- 4On the newly created item card, drag the duration slider to set display time (e.g., 15 seconds).
- 5(Optional) Tap the Refresh button on the card to set an auto-refresh interval (e.g., every 30 minutes) if the app does not update its content automatically.
Cross-reference
- Settings → Duration → Global Limits (defines minimum and maximum slider bounds and sets the default duration for new cards).
- Settings → Duration → Interaction Timeout (pauses the transition timer while you interact with the web page).
- Settings → Playback Order (determines playback sequence).
- Settings → Transitions & Tuning (controls transition animation style and shutter speed).
Feature 2: Displaying Photos, Videos, and Media Albums
Home Screen → Tap MEDIA or ALBUM button
Integrates single image files, video files, or entire photo folders into the carousel. Videos automatically play for their full file duration (with a short buffer), while images use customisable display timers.
Step-by-step
- 1Tap MEDIA to select individual images or videos via the system file picker.
- 2Tap ALBUM to pick an entire device folder or an App-Managed Album.
- 3For albums, toggle the Play All switch on the card: Enabled plays every media file in the album sequentially before advancing; Disabled plays a single photo/video from the album per pass.
- 4Set display duration for images using the card's duration slider.
Cross-reference
- Settings → Background Fill Style (controls background appearance behind letterboxed photos or videos).
- Settings → Cloud Services → Sync Preferences (governs automatic background updating for linked cloud albums).
Feature 3: Adding Live Websites & Web Dashboards
Home Screen → Tap WEBSITE button
Opens an Add Web URL dialog where you can enter web links (such as Home Assistant dashboards, stock tickers, news portals, or social media feeds) to render as full-screen interactive web pages in the carousel.
Step-by-step
- 1Tap WEBSITE on the Home Screen.
- 2Enter a descriptive title (e.g., "Stock market") and a full URL (e.g., https://stocks.example.com).
- 3Tap Confirm to add the web page to your sequence.
- 4Adjust the display duration slider on the card.
- 5Tap the Refresh icon on the card to configure scheduled page reloads (Auto, 15 mins, 30 mins, 1 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours or 1 day).
Cross-reference
- Settings → Duration → Interaction Timeout (pauses the transition timer while you interact with the web page).
Feature 4: Creating App-Managed Albums for Local & Cloud Media
Home Screen → ALBUM → Manage App-Managed Albums (or Settings → Cloud Accounts / Sync Preferences)
Creates dedicated internal physical folders managed directly by AppCarousel. This overcomes restrictions on devices that rely on virtual cloud galleries (such as Google Photos) and enables full Cloud Sync capabilities.
Cross-reference
- Settings → Cloud Services → Sync Preferences (controls sync frequency and deletion logic).
Feature 5: Reordering, Deleting, and Sequence Cleanup
Home Screen main sequence list
Allows you to re-order playlist items, remove single cards, or perform automated cleanup of missing media files.
Step-by-step
- 1Use the long-press and drag on the left edge grip-zone of any card to change its position in the loop.
- 2Slide a card left to reveal a Trash icon on a card to remove that specific item.
- 3Missing or inaccessible files will be highlighted for convenient removal or management.
Cross-reference
- Settings → Playback Order (Top to Bottom, Bottom to Top, or Random playback).
4. Widgets & Display Modes
AppCarousel includes 5 full-screen, highly customisable built-in widgets. These widgets act as native applications within your sequence list:
Clock Widget
Displays full-screen digital and analogue clocks with customisable accent themes.
Configuration
- 1Go to Settings → Widget Settings → Clock Widget Settings.
- 2Select your preferred style.
- 3View the live preview on screen before returning to the main menu.
This clock style can be set on individual cards in the playlist.
Weather Widget
A full-screen weather station featuring high-resolution condition vector graphics, current temperature, hourly forecasts, wind speed, humidity, and location metadata. Powered by a confidence-weighted engine combining MET Norway and Open-Meteo API services.
Configuration
- 1Go to Settings → Widget Settings → Location Settings.
- 2Choose Auto-Location (GPS/Network detection) or enter a Manual Location (City/Postcode) using the integrated map coordinate selector.
- 3Go to Settings → Widget Settings → Weather Widget.
- 4Select your preferred Temperature Unit (Celsius °C, Fahrenheit °F, or Automatic).
The refresh of this widget is controlled on the playlist card.
Solar Prediction Widget
Designed for solar energy monitoring. Uses astronomical sun position calculations and weather cloud cover data to forecast expected hourly solar power generation (kWh) and solar potential percentage throughout daylight hours.
Configuration
- 1Go to Settings → Widget Settings → Location Settings.
- 2Choose Auto-Location (GPS/Network detection) or enter a Manual Location (City/Postcode) using the integrated map coordinate selector.
- 3Go to Settings → Widget Settings → Solar Widget.
- 4Toggle the Show Solar kWh overlay switch.
- 5Set your solar array parameters: Panel Count (1–100) and Panel Wattage (e.g., 400W).
- 6Toggle custom array orientation: Azimuth Angle (0° North, 90° East, 180° South, 270° West) and Tilt Angle (0° to 90°).
The refresh of this widget is controlled on the playlist card.
Sports Ticker Widget
Displays live sports news, news tickers, and category highlights across major global sports disciplines.
Configuration
- 1Go to Settings → Widget Settings → Sports Widget.
- 2Set the interval between headline rotations using the slider.
- 3Set the maximum articles in each loop from 4 to 100 using the slider.
- 4Toggle the sports ticker option to show or hide the scrolling ticker.
- 5Choose the thumbnail Animation Mode (Static Only, Feature Article Only, or All Articles).
- 6Set preferred Regions Filters.
- 7Select active RSS Feeds (BBC Sport, ESPN, or tap Add Custom Feed).
- 8Choose active Sports Categories and regional country filters.
- 9Select custom Primary Theme and Secondary Accent colour palettes.
The refresh of this widget is controlled on the playlist card.
News Ticker Widget
A real-time breaking news ticker presenting global headlines, lead image thumbnails, and category tags.
Configuration
- 1Go to Settings → Widget Settings → News Widget.
- 2Set the interval between headline rotations using the slider.
- 3Set the maximum articles in each loop from 4 to 100 using the slider.
- 4Toggle the news ticker option to show or hide the scrolling ticker.
- 5Choose Animation Mode (Static Only, Feature Article Only, or All Articles).
- 6Set preferred Regions Filters.
- 7Enable built-in RSS Feeds (BBC General, BBC World, or custom RSS links).
- 8Filter news feeds by Categories (General, World, Business, Tech, Politics, Science, Entertainment, Health, Travel, Local).
- 9Select custom Primary Theme and Secondary Accent colour palettes.
The refresh of this widget is controlled on the playlist card.
Adding, Configuring, and Removing Widgets
- To Add: Home Screen → Tap APP → Tap Widget filter tab → Select your desired widget.
- To Configure: Open Settings → Widget Settings and select the respective widget menu.
- To Remove: Tap the Trash icon on the widget's card in the Home Screen sequence list after sliding the card left.
5. Settings Menu
The Settings Menu provides centralised control over all playback options, visuals, cloud accounts, schedules, and widget behaviours.
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Global Duration Bounds | Sets minimum and maximum display time limits for all items in the carousel. |
| Default Duration | Sets the default display time applied to newly added items. |
| Interaction Timeout | Pauses the transition countdown timer while you are actively interacting with a web page or app. |
| Playback Order | Sets the sequence direction: Top to Bottom, Bottom to Top, or Random shuffle. |
| Transition Type | Selects the visual animation between carousel items (e.g., Fade, Slide, Zoom). |
| Animation Speed | Controls how fast the transition animation plays. |
| Shutter Alpha | Sets the opacity of the transition overlay shutter. |
| Day Brightness | Screen brightness percentage during daytime hours. |
| Night Brightness | Screen brightness percentage during night-time hours. |
| Night Blackout Mode | Completely powers down the display during night hours to save energy and prevent OLED burn-in. |
| Background Fill Style | Controls the background appearance behind letterboxed photos or videos: Solid Fill, Dynamic Fill, Blurred Fill, or Live Blurred Fill. |
| Show / Hide Exit Button | Toggles visibility of the on-screen exit button. Triple-tap gesture always remains active. |
| Master Interruption Override | Toggles all stop/escape conditions simultaneously. |
| Incoming Phone Call | Automatically exits carousel loop when a cellular phone call rings. |
| Alarm Active | Automatically exits carousel loop when a system alarm rings. |
| Emergency Alert | Automatically exits carousel loop when a critical emergency alert triggers. |
| Low Battery | Automatically exits carousel loop when battery drops below 15%. |
| Navigation Gestures | Exits carousel when Home, Back, or Recents gestures are used. |
| VoIP Video Call | Attempts detecting WhatsApp, Teams, or Zoom calls via audio mode changes. |
| Cloud Accounts | Authenticate or disconnect Dropbox and OneDrive accounts. |
| Wi-Fi Only Sync | Restricts cloud media synchronisation to Wi-Fi connections. |
| Sync Frequency | Automated sync interval (Manual, 15m, 30m, 1h, 3h, 6h, 12h, Daily). |
| Conflict Resolution | Conflict resolution policy when files differ (Newest Wins, Local Wins, Cloud Wins). |
| Fallback Playlist | Default playlist played when no scheduled timetable rule matches. |
| Weekly Timetable | 7-day weekly schedule grid (Start/End times, Days, Playlist). |
| Location Mode | Toggles Auto GPS/Network detection vs Manual City/Postcode input. |
| Temperature Unit | Selects temperature display unit (Automatic, Celsius °C, Fahrenheit °F). |
| Solar Array Setup | Sets Panel Count, Wattage, Tilt Angle, and Azimuth Orientation. |
| Sports/News RSS | Configures RSS sources, category filters, regional filters, and accent colours. |
6. Advanced Features
Multi-Playlist Management & 7-Day Timetable Scheduling
- Playlist Management: Tap Playlist on the Home Screen to create, rename, or delete unlimited playlists (e.g., "Morning Dashboard", "Storefront Display", "Evening Photos").
- 7-Day Timetable Automation: Tap Scheduling in the Settings menu. Tap Add Schedule, select target Playlist, Start Time, End Time, and active Days of the Week, then tap Confirm.
- Automated Conflict Resolution: If a newly added schedule overlaps with existing entries, AppCarousel's conflict engine automatically detects the overlap and prompts you to either Auto Adjust New Schedule or Auto Adjust Existing Schedules.
- Fallback Playlist: Designate a fallback playlist to ensure continuous display during non-scheduled hours.
Cloud Folder Synchronisation (Dropbox & OneDrive)
- Account Linking: Go to Settings → Cloud Accounts and tap Connect next to Dropbox or OneDrive to complete secure OAuth authentication.
- Linking Cloud Folders: On any App-Managed Album card on the Home Screen, tap the Cloud icon to map it directly to a remote folder in your cloud account.
- Smart Background Sync: AppCarousel periodically checks for new photos or videos in the background based on your chosen Sync Frequency as set in the settings option.
Screen Casting & Mirroring (Screens Hub)
- Casting Overview: Tap the Cast icon in the top header bar to open the Screens hub.
- Google Cast / Chromecast: Displays smart TVs and Chromecasts on the same Wi-Fi network automatically.
- Samsung Smart View / Miracast: Tap Open System Cast Settings to launch native screen mirroring on supported devices.
- DLNA Renderers: Connects to DLNA-compatible digital media renderers.
- Connection History: Saves previously connected screens for quick one-tap reconnection.
Smart Interruption Protection & Kiosk Security
- Triple-Tap Exit Zone: Prevents unauthorised users or customers from accidentally closing the carousel. Users must rapidly tap 3 times on the top-middle exit banner to return to the configuration app.
- Stealth Exit Mode: Disable Show / Hide Exit Button in Settings → Message Settings to make the exit zone completely invisible while keeping the triple-tap gesture active.
- Interruption Escapes: Configure automatic safety pauses for cellular calls, alarms, emergency warnings, low battery, and system navigation buttons under Settings → Stop Carousel Options.
7. Tips, Best Practices & Troubleshooting
Frequently Asked Questions
Performance & Usage Best Practices
- 24/7 Digital Signage: Keep the device connected to AC power and set Sync Frequency to 30 Minutes or Hourly.
- OLED / AMOLED Protection: Enable Night Blackout Mode in Settings → Brightness Schedule to power down pixels during night hours and prevent screen burn-in.
- Network Efficiency: Enable Wi-Fi Only Sync in Settings → Sync Preferences to avoid consuming mobile data.
8. Appendix
Glossary of Terms
Carousel Loop
The continuous, automated cycle of selected applications, media files, websites, and widgets.
Kiosk Mode
Full-screen display mode where standard Android navigation bars and system status bars are hidden or overridden.
App-Managed Album
A dedicated physical folder created within AppCarousel for reliable file access and cloud folder synchronisation.
Solar Potential
Calculated percentage representing current real-time solar energy potential based on sun coordinates and weather cloud cover.
Triple-Tap Exit Zone
A security touch area located top-middle of the screen requiring 3 rapid taps to exit full-screen carousel playback.
Fallback Playlist
The default baseline playlist played whenever no scheduled 7-day timetable entry is active.
Quick Reference Matrix: Feature ↔ Settings
| Feature | Controls |
|---|---|
| App & Website Rotation | Global Bounds, Default Duration, Interaction Timeout, Transition Type, Animation Speed, Shutter Alpha. |
| Photos & Video Display | Solid Fill Colour, Dynamic Fill, Blurred Fill, Live Blurred Fill, Play All Album Toggle. |
| Weather Widget | Auto GPS vs Manual Location, Map Picker, Temperature Unit (°C / °F). |
| Solar Prediction Widget | Panel Count, Panel Wattage, Azimuth Orientation, Tilt Angle, Show Solar kWh Switch. |
| Sports Ticker Widget | RSS Feed Selection, Sport Category Filters, Country Filters, Animation Mode, Accent Theme Colours. |
| News Ticker Widget | RSS Feed Selection, News Category Filters, Country Filters, Animation Mode, Accent Theme Colours. |
| Clock Widget | Digital, Analogue, Clock Styles. |
| Cloud Synchronisation | Account Authorisation, Sync Frequency, Wi-Fi Only, Local/Cloud Deletion Sync Policies, Conflict Resolution. |
| Weekly Timetable Scheduler | Weekly Timetable Grid, Start/End Times, Active Days, Fallback Playlist Selection. |
| Kiosk Security & Escapes | Master Override, Phone Call Pause, Alarm Pause, Low Battery Stop, Gesture Overrides, Exit Button Visibility. |
| Display Backlight & Energy | Day/Night Start/End Hours, Day Brightness %, Night Brightness %, Night Blackout Mode. |
Ready to get started?
Download AppCarousel from Google Play and transform any Android device into a smart display.
For further assistance, email [email protected]