I have a great idea. With the problem most brown/bronze G1 users are having with their keyboards in low light situations (see here for more info) I had an idea for an app.
We need an app that controls the keyboard backlight based on ambient lighting. It can use the camera to poll the light level and enable/disable the keyboard backlight accordingly. Ideally, it would be configurable in terms of what levels trigger the backlight off and on.
This would probably cause a small drain on the battery, but would more than likely be counteracted by the savings from the backlight being off when not needed.
And, thinking about it now, it could also control the display backlight level! Darker surroundings=dimmer backlight, and vice versa.
Any thoughts or aspiring developers want to work on this?
Ryan
The problem for me (I have a black G1) is that the keyboard doesn't stay lit up. This is really annoying when the screen is on but the keys go dark.
Ideally, the keys would simply stay backlit anytime the keys are open. Especially when its dark out... the keys going dark can get rather frustrating.
I totally and completely agree with the idea, however I was thinking a little differently.
The ambient light is not always a good tell tale sign of whether or not I can see the keyboard, especially since the camera is facing down when I am typing. I was thinking of a simple keypad shortcut that would turn off the backlighting. It could be reset once you close the keyboard or reset using the shortcut again, or the option of both.
If I had any clue how to do it myself, I would. I am just one of those hopeless G1 users who has to beg for apps.
Thanks.
Keyboard backlight off
I just put a small application in the Android Market that turns the keyboard backlight off. It doesn't even show anything on the screen, so it is easy to use by binding it to a keyboard shortcut with Settings->Applications->Quick launch.
The application is in the Market in Applications->Tools and it's called Dark Keys.
steffann said:
I just put a small application in the Android Market that turns the keyboard backlight off. It doesn't even show anything on the screen, so it is easy to use by binding it to a keyboard shortcut with Settings->Applications->Quick launch.
The application is in the Market in Applications->Tools and it's called Dark Keys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey can you fix it to where you're able to enable the backlight again? I'm able to turn the backlight off, but not on again if needed. Any maybe integrate a GUI to let users choose on and off.
steffann said:
I just put a small application in the Android Market that turns the keyboard backlight off. It doesn't even show anything on the screen, so it is easy to use by binding it to a keyboard shortcut with Settings->Applications->Quick launch.
The application is in the Market in Applications->Tools and it's called Dark Keys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any way you can give the option to keep it on as well? I have the black g1 and when im texting at night its a pain in the butt when it keeps turning off!!
steffann said:
I just put a small application in the Android Market that turns the keyboard backlight off. It doesn't even show anything on the screen, so it is easy to use by binding it to a keyboard shortcut with Settings->Applications->Quick launch.
The application is in the Market in Applications->Tools and it's called Dark Keys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just dl'ed it last night and I love it! Thanks for creating this app. BTW, to reenable the backlight just wait til the other hard keys go out, then move the trackball.. Although it WOULD be nice to do it via keystroke...
Ryan
stats555 said:
Any way you can give the option to keep it on as well? I have the black g1 and when im texting at night its a pain in the butt when it keeps turning off!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thats real easy to do. open up power manager, edit whicher setting you want the keyboard to stay on for (or change them all), goto stay awake > keyboard > enable. now anytime you have the keyboard out, the keys stay on.
tehseano said:
thats real easy to do. open up power manager, edit whicher setting you want the keyboard to stay on for (or change them all), goto stay awake > keyboard > enable. now anytime you have the keyboard out, the keys stay on.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool thanks never played around with power manager before, thanks for the tip!
New version
FYI: I just released Dark Keys 2.0, which includes most of the suggestions I received from users.
isn't this in the wrong section?
steffann said:
FYI: I just released Dark Keys 2.0, which includes most of the suggestions I received from users.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
awesome app- i have a black G1 and always hated it how the keyboard light went off, esp. at night. Now with your app i can have it stay on whenever the KB is open.
One suggestion, and i am not sure it is possible, can you make it so it's a timer thing- say, it would turn off after 1min, 2min, or 3min. etc
***edit**** it seems to be turning it off automatically some times- it is obviously dark keys doing it as the notification keeps coming up......
steffann said:
FYI: I just released Dark Keys 2.0, which includes most of the suggestions I received from users.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great application! Thanks!!! Like many others, I hate when the keyboard backlight goes blank on me, and this app keeps the keyboard lit so long as it is extended. This app truly has the "Zen of Android" - just like the old Palm Treo had the "Zen of Palm".
steffann said:
I just put a small application in the Android Market that turns the keyboard backlight off. It doesn't even show anything on the screen, so it is easy to use by binding it to a keyboard shortcut with Settings->Applications->Quick launch.
The application is in the Market in Applications->Tools and it's called Dark Keys.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GREAT APP! I just added a desktop icon and tap it once to make the keyboard lights stay ON. Or, I can tap it again to turn off the light, but it's ON that I need! Thanks a bunch
oes it stay on these days? last time i tried it it kept turning off the keyboard while i was typing and at other strange times...
MontAlbert said:
oes it stay on these days? last time i tried it it kept turning off the keyboard while i was typing and at other strange times...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, your right. It worked fine until I plugged it in to charge. Next morning it was all BUGGY as it would "auto turn off kb light" when the phone "auto rotates".
I wish someone would write an app that has the option of "keyboard (and home keys for that matter) ALWAYS ON when kb open". Being always ON is so important to me! When the kb light goes off on my BLACK G1, the keyboard is "invisible" unless the screen is off!
l_____l said:
Yep, your right. It worked fine until I plugged it in to charge. Next morning it was all BUGGY as it would "auto turn off kb light" when the phone "auto rotates".
I wish someone would write an app that has the option of "keyboard (and home keys for that matter) ALWAYS ON when kb open". Being always ON is so important to me! When the kb light goes off on my BLACK G1, the keyboard is "invisible" unless the screen is off!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you have Power Manager installed? It also manages keyboard on/off so you might have conflicting apps.
cigar3tte said:
Do you have Power Manager installed? It also manages keyboard on/off so you might have conflicting apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, your right, I do. ...and I just have to edit the stay awake to enabled while keyboard open. I guess if I didn't have power manager, dark keys app would be mandatory to keep lights ON (or off if needed)
Thanks for your help!
Old topic but about the very similar thing....something that popped into my head recently that I do not think anyone has asked about...I searched but couldnt find anything on it...
The led light on the top of the phone (speaker is) can change multiple colors, I definitely assume that the hkb has also LED lights underneath. Catch my drift?
So any good coders out there know if there is any api or functionality possible to alter the HARDWARE keyboard lights to any color like the missing call app??? That would be amazing!!
Thanks
@johnnylicious - yes, wrong section. Should be in the
@steffann - I installed your app (although I want the backlight ON feature I don't really need/want Power Manager) and received a continuous error/force close message. It was all I could do to get Gscript open between force closes... But, I used Gscript to write a logcat output text file (attached).
Please let me know if you can see what the issue was. I would like to use your app.
Related
I'd really like to be able to put my device to sleep, without having to background whatever app I'm using.
It's very strange. I don't think I've seen another phone that doesn't have a separate power button, from the exit this app button.
Any ideas?
Hmm.
No one has any idea?
I know that riddled throughout this board there are probably a half a dozen apps to turn off your phone, and activate the keylock. Does anyone have any suggestions for some good ones, that I could then assign to the "hold and run" button on the left of the Treo?
Ones that work with WM6?
I'm really surprised that other people don't even seem to want or care about this. The only real advantage of WM6 over PalmOS .. to me... are things like multitasking.
What good is a phone that won't let you keep an app on the screen? Why would I want to constantly have to bring apps to the front again and again and again? I want to be able to turn off my phone, turn it on.. make an entry in an app, and turn it off again, all without opening and closing the app.
Gee.. how strange!
WM devices are 'Today' screen based, hence it automatically switch back to Today screen after a set period of time. You can't change this 'habbit', but you can prolong the period of time.
Start -> Settings -> Personal -> Today -> Items -> Today timeout
hanmin said:
WM devices are 'Today' screen based, hence it automatically switch back to Today screen after a set period of time. You can't change this 'habbit', but you can prolong the period of time.
Start -> Settings -> Personal -> Today -> Items -> Today timeout
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This has nothing to do with what I'm asking about, but it is helpful info. However, my today option has the ability to turn off the today timeout altogether. Perhaps it is WM6 based?
Regardless, I'm talking.. again.. about the screen off button of the treo.. that is also the exit button, that is also the end call button.
BRad Barnett said:
This has nothing to do with what I'm asking about, but it is helpful info. However, my today option has the ability to turn off the today timeout altogether. Perhaps it is WM6 based?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lets quote what you have said above. "What good is a phone that won't let you keep an app on the screen? Why would I want to constantly have to bring apps to the front again and again and again? I want to be able to turn off my phone, turn it on.. make an entry in an app, and turn it off again, all without opening and closing the app."
If you turn off the timeout, the last app will stay when you switch off your phone (e.g. the Today will not appear and sending your app background).
If this REALLY doesnt have NOTHING to do with what you are asking for, I surrender and good luck on your quest.
hanmin said:
Lets quote what you have said above. "What good is a phone that won't let you keep an app on the screen? Why would I want to constantly have to bring apps to the front again and again and again? I want to be able to turn off my phone, turn it on.. make an entry in an app, and turn it off again, all without opening and closing the app."
If you turn off the timeout, the last app will stay when you switch off your phone (e.g. the Today will not appear and sending your app background).
If this REALLY doesnt have NOTHING to do with what you are asking for, I surrender and good luck on your quest.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had two separate posts above, and of course they are related in this thread. Context, my man. My first post clearly talks about how my issue is with the power button, and how my issue has to do with the power button forcing you back to the today screen before it will let you power off the unit.
Fair enough, you missed my first post, and only read my second post in this same thread. No harm done.
I am also mystified why the power button constantly forces screen back to Home....I would think this is a real pain for most people??
Any fixes/hacks?
TIA
To do what you want, there's an usefull application: AE Button Plus (http://ae.inc.ru/aebplus.php) This small applicacion allows you to remap buttons. To switch off the screen what I've done is assign the action "switch off device"
Thast's all
Way off topic... but you wouldn't happen to be the Brad Barnett from The Mustang Source forums, would you?
Flapjack said:
Way off topic... but you wouldn't happen to be the Brad Barnett from The Mustang Source forums, would you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No! And I have nothing to do with Kurt Cobain either!
JmJ17 said:
To do what you want, there's an usefull application: AE Button Plus (http://ae.inc.ru/aebplus.php) This small applicacion allows you to remap buttons. To switch off the screen what I've done is assign the action "switch off device"
Thast's all
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Back on topic.....
I tried AEBP but this only seems to "Switch Display On/Off" during a phone call, NOT when in an application.
I don't see a "Switch Off Device" option. Did I miss something?
MS
mercury66 said:
Back on topic.....
I tried AEBP but this only seems to "Switch Display On/Off" during a phone call, NOT when in an application.
I don't see a "Switch Off Device" option. Did I miss something?
MS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I found "Power off" (I think it was called that) in the list of options to assign to a button. I assigned it to "hold side button", one click. My device now shuts off when I hold that button in.
Thanks to the dude that suggested this! Now to see how it affects my device...
Greetings all.
Does anyone know of a good way of locking the screen while making a phone call? I've tried proximity sensor, which does not work on my phone. I currently have my time out setting at 15 seconds, but that does not work either. Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm sick of face dialing/hanging up.
Proximity sensor does not work at all for me, either. I have been begging and begging people on the forum to help come up with a way to remove or disable the huge "End call" button, as I am constantly hanging up on people with my face.
It is the number one suckiest thing about my Hero right now.
oh, i am looking for this kind of software but found nothing
Probably one of the best "answer/hang up" functions I saw was with SIPdroid. Slide up to answer, slide down to hang up. Of course, the data service is not good enough to always use that though.....
I put the notification bar down down, but it seems almost buggy, sometimes the notification bar stays down and sometimes it just moves up by itself again.
Hit the home button to get out of the dialer window...
Nanan00 said:
Hit the home button to get out of the dialer window...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And, then, enjoy the vibrations as you move your homescreen icons around with your face.
Why is there so much resistance to figuring out how to either lock the screen during a call or just disable or remove the stupid soft "End call" button?
Is it significantly more difficult than changing the button color or creating a ROM?
doojer said:
And, then, enjoy the vibrations as you move your homescreen icons around with your face.
Why is there so much resistance to figuring out how to either lock the screen during a call or just disable or remove the stupid soft "End call" button?
Is it significantly more difficult than changing the button color or creating a ROM?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Home button is cool if you happen to only touch the end call button and never anything else. I personally called a friend and sent 4 blank texts to someone, don't ask me how....
Home button will cause as many problems. Notification bar coming down is the best way I've found....
an even better way. hold the menu button down.
the keyboard is a great shield.
Avalaunchmods said:
an even better way. hold the menu button down.
the keyboard is a great shield.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will try that one. Seems like it could work, thanks.
Well, google is my friend, i don't know why I doubted ye...
Screen Suite does it for me. The app is $1.99, but it has a setting where it automatically locks the screen on calls.
A bluetooth headset negates that problem completely......
muppetman462 said:
Well, google is my friend, i don't know why I doubted ye...
Screen Suite does it for me. The app is $1.99, but it has a setting where it automatically locks the screen on calls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How do you like it? I found it and it seemed kind of bloated with a lot of features I don't need. Does it eat up memory/power?
I am interested....
I don't get why you guys are having so many issues with this, my phone screen locks at the default of 30s when in calls, it has done this as long as I have had the phone.
Nanan00 said:
I don't get why you guys are having so many issues with this, my phone screen locks at the default of 30s when in calls, it has done this as long as I have had the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine usually does. Unless it thinks I'm pressing things with my face, which keeps it awake.
That is... if my face doesn't end the call by the time the 30 seconds is up. My guess? It's probably the shape of our faces?
I just try to hold the bottom part of the screen away from my face. Once the screen turns off I've never hung up on someone.
mrcharlesiv said:
I just try to hold the bottom part of the screen away from my face. Once the screen turns off I've never hung up on someone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do this too. It's very annoying.
Avalaunchmods said:
an even better way. hold the menu button down.
the keyboard is a great shield.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm another good one! Any keyboard presses do anything nasty? I'm on swype but I wonder if hitting the mic button on the hacked keyboard would do anything annoying.
Thanks for the tip!
My main problem is when my wife calls, and wants to talk to my son. His face is a lot smaller, and well, everything get screwed up when he uses the phone. As for the program, it does have a lot of features, but all I did was have it set to auto-lock on phone calls. I still have my default vanilla lock screen.
Lack of a both a proximity sensor and dedicated screen-off button is this phone's single unforgivable flaw.
I will never again buy a touchscreen device without at least one of these.
so heres a thought
Turn off Capacitive buttons backlight
it would save battery life and when i watch videos it can be strictly just the video screen n not the 4 buttons light too...
even better would be a feature where if u hold the back button for 5 seconds it toggles the capacitive buttons backlight on n off....
any support on this guys? im sure it wouldnt be too difficult
There is an app in the market to do this.
Its called "LEDs hack" (without thr quotes.
Type that exactly otherwise it wont show.
Sometimes regular market doesnt show it but appbrain will everytime.
First time it starts you select the phone u use. Only like 2 or 3 phones show.... you have to scroll that list to find the evo.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
You would have found the answer to this if you searched this forum.
I'm feeling nice today so here you go http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=816128
I am now using tasker to do this for me.
Is there a way to turn off the HOME, MENU, BACK, SEARCH button light permenatly? I just want the screen on and the buttons to remain off.
thanks
gessin64 said:
Is there a way to turn off the HOME, MENU, BACK, SEARCH button light permenatly? I just want the screen on and the buttons to remain off.
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't found anything yet. There are triggers that will turn the buttons back on. One trigger is if you are on a call and the screen shuts off, when the screen comes back on the buttons light back up.
I am trying to find a way to block this and many triggers with tasker but it is a trial and error process.
gessin64 said:
Is there a way to turn off the HOME, MENU, BACK, SEARCH button light permenatly? I just want the screen on and the buttons to remain off.
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
leds hack works perfectly. runs for as long as you have it active. no noticeable battery drain either.
i've been using it since my old moto droid days.
how do i make the LED light on the touch capacitive buttons stay on longer
IE: the "Home" key the "Search" key (all the keys at the bottom of the phone)
they stay on about 10 seconds and i need them to stay on longer
i can not see them unless they are lighted
while i am getting pretty good at guessing where they are at when they are off.
i would still like them to stay on longer so i would not have to guess
i have Dimmed them in the "Hidden Menu" (Because i thought them too bright)
there was no where to set them to stay on longer
staying on for 30 seconds would be ideal
anyone have any idea on how to do this ?
thanks
just touch the screen and they come up.
a1yet said:
how do i make the LED light on the touch capacitive buttons stay on longer
IE: the "Home" key the "Search" key (all the keys at the bottom of the phone)
they stay on about 10 seconds and i need them to stay on longer
i can not see them unless they are lighted
while i am getting pretty good at guessing where they are at when they are off.
i would still like them to stay on longer so i would not have to guess
i have Dimmed them in the "Hidden Menu" (Because i thought them too bright)
there was no where to set them to stay on longer
staying on for 30 seconds would be ideal
anyone have any idea on how to do this ?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the LED Notification app lets you tweak your touch buttons for brightness and such, but I don't know if there is a setting to adjust how long they normally stay on while inactive.
The developer could probably add that pretty easily though.
Something like that will kill your battery
Sent from my LG-P999
Suprah said:
Something like that will kill your battery
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Na LED's take almost NO power
player911
ya i tried that program no settings in there eather
i know theres got to be a way to do it if you can remap the keys
should be able to set the led time-out
i just don't know where to look and/or how to do it
.
Just as the tittle says.
It's been a month and I still keep hitting the back button way too often when using the keyboard and trying to hit spacebar.
Solutions besides more training? Its rather annoying. Makes me want some hardware buttons instead of these.
Do you mean "desensitize"?
You could try using the widget called "keep the lights on" to make these buttons light up 100% of the time. That's what I do. Then you'll have a visual reminder to not press the button.
you are right.. somehow the spell checker corrected into that...
But... you don't need a program... you can do that via settings-display-touch key light duration. which i actually have on all the time.
Problem is that I don't look at the keys i am hitting... Never had to on the iPhone :facepalm:
highlanderx said:
But... you don't need a program... you can do that via settings-display-touch key light duration. which i actually have on all the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's awesome!
That option was not available in my Infuse and I just assumed it wasn't available in the GSII either so I just used the same app for this that I used on my Infuse!