Lookabout: a photo walk that Gemma checks on your phone, offline

Description and use

Lookabout is an offline Android app that uses Gemma 4 E2B to generate photo walk prompts and evaluates photos locally, providing instant feedback via haptic buzzes and lock‑screen notifications.

Problem

Users lack a simple, offline way to get structured photo walk challenges and instant feedback without internet or API keys.

Outcome

In a demo walk, the user captured three photos; all were accepted after brief adjustments, with Gemma and user agreeing on 11 of 12 answers. Photo checks averaged four seconds each on a Pixel 7a.

Workflow

• 1. Open Lookabout and set number of pictures (3‑6), topic, and sky condition.
• 2. App downloads 2.6 GB Gemma 4 E2B model once (Wi‑Fi only).
• 3. Gemma generates a list of picture prompts with four yes/no questions each.
• 4. User walks, takes photos with phone camera; each photo is sent to Gemma for evaluation.
• 5. Gemma returns four yes/no answers; app counts YESes and gives verdict via buzz and lock‑screen notification.
• 6. User can accept, retake, or skip; can flip answers if Gemma is wrong.
• 7. At end, summary shows accepted photos and agreement rate.
• 8. All data stays on device; no internet required after model download.

Evidence

Everything runs on the phone. After the one‑time model download, Lookabout needs no internet connection: the lists, the photos and the checks stay on the device.

Source

Gemma 4, running entirely on your phone, writes a short list of pictures to look for, fitted to the topic, the sky, the time of day and the month.

Source

Each picture comes with four yes/no questions. Two or more YES answers and the photo is Accepted.

Source

The only cut is at the start, where I shortened the one‑time model download (2.6 GB).

Source