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.
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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!!
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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.
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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.
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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...
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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!
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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.
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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.
Suddenly there is no more cursor on my screen when using the mousepad on the physical keyboard. It's just gone. The actual keyboard is still working fine.
Is there a setting somewhere to re-enable this or something? Maybe I hit something on the keyboard?
Did you accidentally turn off the trackpad?
There's a toggle button to turn the trackpad on/off on the top row of the keyboard in between the bluetooth and brightness buttons
Also try re-docking your keyboard.
slient said:
Did you accidentally turn off the trackpad?
There's a toggle button to turn the trackpad on/off on the top row of the keyboard in between the bluetooth and brightness buttons
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I found this thread using search - I had the same problem but thought it was cused by the low battery in the docking station.
It wasn't - your suggestion was spot on. Next time I must try to remember when I switch the trackpad off.
There is a setting in the settings to change the look of cursor, maybe there is one to toggle the cursor
BlackTavern said:
There is a setting in the settings to change the look of cursor, maybe there is one to toggle the cursor
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In my case I switched it off with one of the top row of function keys - it looks like a mouse! Which makes it even less forgivable that I forgot it after switching it off myself ...
hi,
is there way for me to disable vibration when pressing the bottom buttons on the phone? any way? software?
just disable haptic feedback.
giving your phones' os version would be helpful for more insightful instructions
The haptic feedback option is what you will want to disable. If you have a certain rom, post it so someone can give you exact directions to the options, but it should be pretty easy to navigate thru the menus to find it
thanks for the help it work
I can't for the life of me find a way to turn off the feedback for the capacitive buttons. Any one now how to do this I am sure I am missing something.
Go to Settings.
Go to Sound.
Scroll to the very bottom and uncheck Vibrate feedback.
Thank me
JK...enjoy!
truciet said:
Go to Settings.
Go to Sound.
Scroll to the very bottom and uncheck Vibrate feedback.
Thank me
JK...enjoy!
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Click to collapse
Thanks I new it was something simple
Does this tablet have haptic feedback? I don't have any whatsoever with screen taps. I have none at all with the ASUS onscreen keyboard. I have barely perceptible feedback using the stock Android keyboard. But for whatever reason I get feedback when I power on and power off. Is this normal performance for the TF700 or is this tablet defective?
Can somone tell me when (or if) you have haptic feedback with your tablet?
From my experience yes, on my tf700 as well as my prime both device vibrated upon turning on/
ugotproblemz said:
From my experience yes, on my tf700 as well as my prime both device vibrated upon turning on/
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Mine vibrates while turning on as well - but virtually nothing else. With the onscreen keyboard, I can hardly tell the difference with haptic feedback on or off.
If you turn on pin number unlock there's a setting for vibration on the number keys. Try setting it and see if you can feel that.
The on-screen buttons vibrate, but its very faint. Easy to not notice. I dont think the keyboard vibrates at all, but that's easily fixed by installing a 3rd party with more customizable settings.
Jotokun said:
The on-screen buttons vibrate, but its very faint. Easy to not notice. I dont think the keyboard vibrates at all, but that's easily fixed by installing a 3rd party with more customizable settings.
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I think its because this tablet is so heavy. My old prime had pretty strong haptics.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2
jdeoxys said:
I think its because this tablet is so heavy. My old prime had pretty strong haptics.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk 2
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Its definitely a settings thing. Probably to avoid stress if you use the on-screen buttons while docked. My on-screen keyboard (thumb keyboard) could be set to some pretty strong vibration.
Digital Man said:
Does this tablet have haptic feedback? I don't have any whatsoever with screen taps. I have none at all with the ASUS onscreen keyboard. I have barely perceptible feedback using the stock Android keyboard. But for whatever reason I get feedback when I power on and power off. Is this normal performance for the TF700 or is this tablet defective?
Can somone tell me when (or if) you have haptic feedback with your tablet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello, I was having the same issue so I thought I might chime in. Go to settings, language and input, then it depends on the keyboard you are using. Let's say the Asus one. Click the settings button next to the Asus keyboard option. Turn on vibrate on key press. If you are using the superior SwiftKey keyboard, click on the settings button next to that one. Then navigate to the advanced tab. Click audio and haptic feedback. Make sure haptic feedback is turned on. Then set the haptic duration to anything over 55,if you don't you will not feel the key press for some reason. Hope that helps!
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using XDA Premium HD app
If it vibrates on power up/down then it is working... the C7 I got from Best Buy it wouldn't vibrate at all, keyboard , moving apps around, power up or down. Even after toggling the setting , nothing, I had to take it back.
Thats what you should do. Chose Android keyboard, check Vibrate on keypress, go to Advanced settings and set Keypress vibration duration settings to 100ms.