Related
Hi,
I recently bought a HTC Touch HD, and I think that the "shutdown-screen-when-you-answer-a-call" function of phones like Diamonds, Touch Pro and HD is the dumbest way to prevent accidental presses on the touch screen.
Our devices have a light sensor, that could be used to switch off the screen if the phone is near the ear (like the phone using an "i" word ) and keep it on when you answer with loudspeaker for example.
The "problem" with this function is that when you're already in a "no-light" environment, the screen lock function doesn't work.
To resolve this issue, I think we could use the G-Sensor. Indeed, if the place has no light, then, the phone cannot detect the proximity of a ear. But when you put the phone next to the ear, you hold it a the vertical...
To make it short, the app should do :
Do nothing in normal use.
When a call arrives :
- it monitors the ambient light
If there's light :
- when you answer the call, if there's light then no more (you stick the phone next to the ear), it switches off the screen and continue to monitor.
- while in call, if there's light again (you want to see some info on the screen for example), it switches on the screen and continue to monitor.
- and so on until you end the call
If there's no light :
- when you answer the call, but let it at the horizontal (you let it on the desk for example), it does nothing
- if you take the phone on the vertical position (you stick the phone next to the ear), it switches the screen off.
- if the phone, during a call, goes from vertical to horizontal of horizontal to vertical, the screen is switches on/of
- and so on until you end the call
Obviously, you could replace the "switch on/off screen" with "lock/unlock screen".
What do you think about ?
UPDATE :
After playing a bit with the HD, it appears that HTC DOES use the light sensor for turning the screen off during a call.
Let's do a test :
In a place with plenty light :
- put your mobile with the face up
- call a number (always face up) : the screen will not be switched off until the light sensor detects a loss of luminosity or a timeout set in the registry.
So, my conclusion is that HTC already use the light sensor to switch the screen off during a call, but they do it in an absurd way :
- they poll the sensor just to shut down the screen, not to switch it on.
- once the screen has been switched off, they do not longer poll at all.
Do you think it could be a way to "hack" their system to do what we want to do ?
no one has an opinion on this idea ? if there's nobody that want / have the time to develop a soft, I understand, but at least please, give me just your opinion
I agree with your idea for such an application. I must admit that I am very used to just pushing the power button when I answer a call (from Polaris use) to ensure I am not going into other programmes as I rub the phone against my ear. On the other hand I am trying to get used to the Touch HD's modern automatic method but I can't help not feeling relaxed that it has worked and keep trying to look at the screen in the corner of my eye to see if it did go off or not.
If it does not come now I am sure there will be such an app very soon just as you describe especially as all the latest models now have it.
i'd use the half of it that doesn't require the G-sensor as i don't have a diamond or HD...
but i'm certainly sick and tired of my ear operating my touch screen while i'm speaking.
I've written a prototype to do exactly what you are talking about although the one crucial part I am missing is the lock code. Every example or suggestion for locking the screen is very hacky and never feels like a good approach. If anyone has a good solution for locking the screen (especially in managed code) I would be happy to complete what I have started and release it with source so it could be improved upon.
So far, the best locking utility I have seen is PocketShield although I'm not sure what approach was used for locking in that case. It almost feels like a form that captures all windows events but I'm not sure exactly.
fireweed said:
I've written a prototype to do exactly what you are talking about although the one crucial part I am missing is the lock code. Every example or suggestion for locking the screen is very hacky and never feels like a good approach. If anyone has a good solution for locking the screen (especially in managed code) I would be happy to complete what I have started and release it with source so it could be improved upon.
So far, the best locking utility I have seen is PocketShield although I'm not sure what approach was used for locking in that case. It almost feels like a form that captures all windows events but I'm not sure exactly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe the simpliest way to "protect" the screen is to switch it off. I suppose it must be some API to do that ?
Concerning the "locking", I think the simpliest way is to put on focus an empty window (transparent if it can be ).
I'm really happy to know that you're working on an app like that
lpaso said:
Hi,
I recently bought a HTC Touch HD, and I think that the "shutdown-screen-when-you-answer-a-call" function of phones like Diamonds, Touch Pro and HD is the dumbest way to prevent accidental presses on the touch screen.
Our devices have a light sensor, that could be used to switch off the screen if the phone is near the ear (like the phone using an "i" word ) and keep it on when you answer with loudspeaker for example.
The "problem" with this function is that when you're already in a "no-light" environment, the screen lock function doesn't work.
To resolve this issue, I think we could use the G-Sensor. Indeed, if the place has no light, then, the phone cannot detect the proximity of a ear. But when you put the phone next to the ear, you hold it a the vertical...
To make it short, the app should do :
Do nothing in normal use.
When a call arrives :
- it monitors the ambient light
If there's light :
- when you answer the call, if there's light then no more (you stick the phone next to the ear), it switches off the screen and continue to monitor.
- while in call, if there's light again (you want to see some info on the screen for example), it switches on the screen and continue to monitor.
- and so on until you end the call
If there's no light :
- when you answer the call, but let it at the horizontal (you let it on the desk for example), it does nothing
- if you take the phone on the vertical position (you stick the phone next to the ear), it switches the screen off.
- if the phone, during a call, goes from vertical to horizontal of horizontal to vertical, the screen is switches on/of
- and so on until you end the call
Indeed, you could replace the "switch on/off screen" with "lock/unlock screen".
What do you think about ?
I searched the forum for an existing app that could do this, but I didn't find anything.
If there's already an app that do this stuff, I'm truely sorry for this post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm looking for this.. If you find a solution send me a PM, I will do the same
Thanks!
We need this app, how does the iphone acheive this?
I think the 'easiest' way to make this app would be to keep the phone doing what it does currently (put the phone on standby when answering a call) then have the light sensor take the phone out of standby when it receives light, (taking it away from your ear)?
Obviously if its dark then we would have to use the power butten as we currently do now or have the Gsensor do it with a twisting motion (vertical to horizontal).
If anyone has an idea how to program this i'm willing to help in any way, the current systems seems so crude on such tech devices!
DB
lpaso said:
Hi,
I searched the forum for an existing app that could do this, but I didn't find anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There a program, that can help you. Not full, but it can switch off screen, using g-sensor. However its using not vertical aligment of the phone. There are using changing orientation of the phone to decide when phone near the ear.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=2622590&postcount=45
I have always wondered why our WM phones don't do what the iphone does...
For the SE Xperia X1, the light sensor is right near the earpiece (along with the little front facing camera), so it would go to virtually 100% darkness when near the ear. I would presume unless you are using the phone also in 100% darkness (which should be pretty rare I would guess) then it would work like the iphone.
I have also been quite annoyed by the fact that after a phonecall, sometimes I found i'm in a note taking program or weather program or something else. It just seems dumb, considering our phone HAVE these lightsensors?!
I think it's a fantastic idea to solve a VERY FRUSTRATING PROBLEM
lpaso said:
no one has an opinion on this idea ? if there's nobody that want / have the time to develop a soft, I understand, but at least please, give me just your opinion
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would rank myself this way:
Not a newbie who's just gotten a touchscreen phone and is now discovering the quirks when holding screen to ear,
and not a developer,
but a power-user. I have installed all sorts of XDA-developed features/enhancements for my phone.
But now I have 4 years experience -- starting with the T-Mobile MDA, and its successor, the T-Mobile WING. And despite all of the advancements expected in that time, STILL, I inadvertently end a call, or put it on hold accidentally, ALL THE TIME. Between that and trying to retrieve the phone from my pocket just to answer the damn ringing phone, I would say I have, on the average, a 20% success rate -- and 80% of the time the call is disrupted. And at least once a day my ohone, in my pocket, even when using s2u2, manages to REDIAL my latest conversation, so mcuh so that all my friends say "why don;t you get rid of that phone. It does all these whiz bang things but still can't reliably manage a basic phone call.
My most recent experiment was to call someone, then when they answered, press the s2U2 key to lock the phone screen. Only I came to find out from A_C that this is no good: S2u2 does not have recognition that you're ending the call, thus, since it's in lock-mode, the "END CALL" or Hang-Up hard key does not work.
So by all means, I would even pay for an app that once and for all handles the baseline problems of simply making a phone call. Thanks for making this request.
fireweed, have you contacted A_C, author of s2u2 ?
There may just be perfect synergy between the two of you. His "best of breed" screen-lock app is widely used -- and other developers, like supbro, for example, author of iDialer, have collaborated on small code-bits from A_C to solve some integration problems.
If for any reason you are unfamiliar with A_C, go to his website: www.ac-s2.com -- where his apps are explained, and all link back to XDA.
He's even managed to make the screen lock work, yet, have it selectively overridden when you insert headphone jack -- such that his s2p (slide to play) app opens and allows you to switch music tracks etc while otherwise the screen and buttons are all fully locked...
fireweed said:
I've written a prototype to do exactly what you are talking about although the one crucial part I am missing is the lock code. Every example or suggestion for locking the screen is very hacky and never feels like a good approach. If anyone has a good solution for locking the screen (especially in managed code) I would be happy to complete what I have started and release it with source so it could be improved upon.
So far, the best locking utility I have seen is PocketShield although I'm not sure what approach was used for locking in that case. It almost feels like a form that captures all windows events but I'm not sure exactly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
After playing a bit with the HD, it appears that HTC DOES use the light sensor for turning the screen off during a call.
Let's do a test :
In a place with plenty light :
- put your mobile with the face up
- call a number (always face up) : the screen will not be switched off until the light sensor detects a loss of luminosity or the timeout set in the registry expires.
So, my conclusion is that HTC already use the light sensor to switch the screen off during a call, but they do it in an absurd way :
- they poll the sensor just to shut down the screen, not to switch it on.
- once the screen has been switched off, they do not longer poll at all.
Do you think it could be a way to "hack" their system to do what we want to do ?
I think HTC does not only switch off the display but goes to standby (phone works independent if you didn't know yet). Your idea is a lot different in terms of programming.
I don't know if it goes to standby : when the screen is switched off during a call, a press on any button switch it on again. In the registry, the key controlling the timeout before the screen is shut off is named "LightSensorToScreenOff" so I think it is just switching off the screen...
lpaso said:
I don't know if it goes to standby : when the screen is switched off during a call, a press on any button switch it on again. In the registry, the key controlling the timeout before the screen is shut off is named "LightSensorToScreenOff" so I think it is just switching off the screen...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well if thats the case, its HALF of what the iphone does... it turns off the screen based on the light sensor going dark suddenly (next to ear) but then fails to turn the screen back on after you move the phone away from your ear...
Anyone know how to enable this?
Interested in having this feature too. Isn't it possible to have the G-Sensor determine when the phone is vertical and shut the screen and then when it is lying flat to turn the screen back on again. Believe that the Iphone does it this way, not with the light sensor.
Hmm... I never had my ear 'navigating' my phone during in-call before....
I never allowed the screen to touch my face anyway, and the speaker is facing the ear canal, when I receive or make calls...
But i do understand that s2u2 can do what you guys might need, it locks the screen during in call.
Hennyb said:
Interested in having this feature too. Isn't it possible to have the G-Sensor determine when the phone is vertical and shut the screen and then when it is lying flat to turn the screen back on again. Believe that the Iphone does it this way, not with the light sensor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the Iphone has something called proximity sensor, which senses the distance from the ear to the phone, hence when the phone rest on the outer ear, the phone screen shut off.
Or am I wrong?
Section9 said:
I think the Iphone has something called proximity sensor, which senses the distance from the ear to the phone, hence when the phone rest on the outer ear, the phone screen shut off.
Or am I wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, you're right. It uses an iR sensor to know if there's something near the phone.
We're all seeing fancy phones with accelerometers that can proudly switch between landscape and portrait modes coming out these day, regardless of whether they have a kb or not. That got me thinking. Why do phones have a portrait mode at all?
A major reason is historical, of course, and the current rational is "it's always been done like that". There was never a landscape candybar phone. I suspect this has something to do with the positioning of an old text-only screen above the keypad.
But now this is no longer applicable with the advent of screens that are also the input method. For some tasks, landscape is clearly superior (watching videos springs to mind). Some favour portraits - notably, some text lists. Others are completely orientation-agnostic (like home screens).
Physically, holding a device horizontally is no harder that doing go vertically and the thumb can easily reach all parts of regular-size phones' screens. Landscape orientations can be additionally used double-handed.
So far, the match is "even", but still, portrait seems to hold a dominant position. As we use our devices more for media (which prefers landscape) and text-input (same, via a physical or virtual keyboard). I do think, when using my phones, that more can be done sensibly in a landscape mode. Landscape screens also approximate our computer monitors more closely, which may make future convergence easier.
Any thoughts about how the future of mobile screen orientations will go?
I only use landscape mode on my phone for video since the top and bottom bars eat up too much real estate in that mode.
orientation can be changed under settings
and even if it don't keep it after a soft-reset
it would be pretty easy to make a program
which put it back to landscape
but many programs would not be compatible
and as stated no real benefit apart from video
and games being as most devices buttons are laid out
I only use landscape mode on my phone for video since the top and bottom bars eat up too much real estate in that mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm thinking though that because of the way the phone was developed. If they wanted to, UI designed would quite easily put at least the top bar on one side. The bottom bar would be more tricky though. I suspect you'd do away with it and opt for a different navigation/menu paradigm. Or at least make fuller use by offering more menu options when there's more space available.
and as stated no real benefit apart from video
and games being as most devices buttons are laid out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what I'm not so sure about. These two are true, of course, but I suspect that the more we start inputting text on our devices, the more we'll use a landscape-style keyboard. When you start doing that in the calendars, SMS apps and other everyday tasks, having a phone in landscape suddenly becomes more appealing. 90% of the time I'm starting up my Tytn, it's to do something that requires some kind of text input. When this is the case, I'm wasting time starting in portrait then moving to landscape.
This is why I prefer CLAMSHELL devices or anything with a slide out tilting keyboard that would allow the screen to orient itself to landscape view. Unfortunately, there are no good clamshell out there except for an outdated HTC Universal.
I have just developed an app which presently does not use XDA Framework but would in the future. Perhaps, once done, I would be able to publish the app where the XDA developers do.
Because I am a new member and not allowed to publish links, I can explain where the app is. One can search the web for Steven Stanley Bayes com and find the web site with the same name, just with dashes. The app is on the front page where there is a link ProximitySensor app right on the index page. Some automatically inserted advertisements best be closed.
This app allows the user to select whether the proximity sensor controls the screen and whether the screen is always on.
When proximity sensor control is chosen, the screen of the phone powers down when there is an object close to the proximity sensor. Thus, the screen will automatically power down when one puts the phone in the pocket. This works regardless whether the user has chosen to keep the screen powered always or whether the screen is normally controlled by the OS.
When the screen has been chosen to be always on, the user can use the phone as a flash light which can easily be turned on by, say, placing the phone close to the chest. This way, the user can shine light for a while to see around, then, quickly stop the light and then, whenever needed, to quickly turn the light on again with just a movement of one hand. This way, the user would save battery energy as compared to constantly flashing light which may not be needed. The power button still works but the proximity sensor, when used as a switch, is easier to use than the power button.
Nice app here is the link to it everyone. www.Steven-Stanley-Bayes.com/ProximitySensor.apk :good:
Completely bewildering.
I think this app might, somewhere in its many convoluted settings, do what I am looking for. But after trying to read the tome of instructions, I am completely lost, as they were impossibly complex and convoluted to follow.
What I am looking for is a way to keep my smartphone screen OFF when calls are received while I am using a connected Bluetooth headset. I need the screen not to come on, and most especially to STAY OFF when the call is ended. Carrying my phone in my pocket, and having the screen come on when I get a call, exposes the touch interface of the screen to misinterpreted false inputs, especially in hot weather when perspiration is an added factor. What usually happens is some misinterpreted screen contact will disconnect my Bluetooth headset immediately after taking the call. I then have to dig my phone out and try to reconnect the headset while the other party is wondering why they can't hear me say anything. Very frustrating.
If your app can indeed do this, could you please reply with very specific instructions on which of its huge set of menu choices would be the correct one, and how to set it up? As it stands I won't try, because I have no clue which of them might be the one I want, with the multiple variety of similar-sounding functions.
My G4 just died, should I get the VZW version of the Pixel 2?
I just want to swap in the nano sim and keep going.
I want to use a custom rom so I need to unlock the bootloader, is this possible?
Swapppa has some reasonable offerings........
LG was a bad experience, want simplicity at its android best.
spyknee said:
I want to use a custom rom so I need to unlock the bootloader, is this possible?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not if you buy the Verizon version
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
ok and then
can I use my current nano sim for puppywireless, a verizon mvno, with the unlocked google edition pixel 2? Verizon wants cdma phones......................
You can buy the unlocked version from Google and use it on Verizon.
>Do I want a Pixel?
Depends on if you do or not.
Jokes aside, you can unlock a Verizon P2 if it hasn't taken the Jan update yet. Visit in store and ask to see a P2 in box, no SIM or wifi please. The box will indicate the factory software. Once you find a winner (hurry, they're fading from inventory) just carefully apply the unlock steps and enjoy.
Go Ahead
Yes, you should, Pixel mobiles are the best mobiles according to my friend's opinion, I'm also going to buy it next week but first I have to write my assignment.
So, I now own a new Pixel 2 Google Edition.
1st Pros:
Luv that its already stripped down and lean in the stock OS. @8.1.0 ver.
1st Cons:
Device does not report battery lvl correctly in notifications tab, always states 100%, icon always shows full.
WiFi icon appears to show only on, no signal strength at all.
Totally dislike notifications tab period! Too much redundancy! To much access points to the same stuff.
Decided that it should be a central home screen. A group of 5, home at center. Now that leaves 4 sides or edges.
1 edge for calling and texting, swipe left edge
1 edge for social media outlet of choice, swipe edge right
1 edge for camera and video, swipe edge down
1 edge for video and music playback, swipe edge up
Or could be other choices instead. Point being all the different access methods, repeat the same things so lets get simple.......................
Its about personalized customization of actual use. right now we just customize the presentation of gui's, color, form. There is nothing intuitive about OS use tho!. Things like smart bullitain are really useless and forced on us, seriously, wonder around with a live feed always going.......no.
spyknee said:
So, I now own a new Pixel 2 Google Edition.
1st Pros:
Luv that its already stripped down and lean in the stock OS. @8.1.0 ver.
1st Cons:
Device does not report battery lvl correctly in notifications tab, always states 100%, icon always shows full.
WiFi icon appears to show only on, no signal strength at all.
Totally dislike notifications tab period! Too much redundancy! To much access points to the same stuff.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting: on 8.0 the Pixel 2 battery meter stuck at 100% charge for a long time (not permanently), but that was fixed by updates. Should not be a problem with 8.1.
And the WiFi icon works just as expected, i.e. shows signal strength (though no "activity arrows" if you were used to those). So this sounds like something is wrong.
I'm not sure what you are saying about the notifications. Can you give some examples?
Things like smart bullitain are really useless and forced on us, seriously, wonder around with a live feed always going.......no.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have anything forced on me - I just turned off (or didn't turn on) anything that didn't interest me (with Google's launcher being one of the first things to go). There are always alternatives.
So I have discovered that enabling the ui demo mode was the problem with the status bar and battery level reporting, enabling this bad.
I have learned of and enabled the system ui tuner. This ended all the phone functions, status reporting, very sweet. Now the status bar just reflects certain running services.
I also installed the Android P theme launcher, I like it. Has a sidebar option, the ability to hide the status bar, the ability to alter dock settings. So I essentially dumped some cpu reporting cycles, so to speak, let see how bat life responds.
Without root, I have gotten closer to what I want. Need to get TWRP installed and a nandroid made.
Next thing,
Ambient- Always On Display, many internet posts for disabling. Do Not Disable!
Affects the screen saver display and wake up, touch screen. The touch screen seems to need this enabled for better response. I decided to enable the edges as well. Turned it to full squeeze. Do not wish the assistant but it seems that disabling it, and the rest really upsets touch screen.
spyknee said:
Next thing,
Ambient- Always On Display, many internet posts for disabling. Do Not Disable!
Affects the screen saver display and wake up, touch screen. The touch screen seems to need this enabled for better response. I decided to enable the edges as well. Turned it to full squeeze. Do not wish the assistant but it seems that disabling it, and the rest really upsets touch screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ehm, AOD is just a additional option that is included so you can check the clock and whatnot without the need of turning on your screen.
The touch response in the screen is controlled at the kernel driver level and is only affected (in a negative way) by yourself and your fingers and how dirty the screen is.
spyknee said:
Next thing,
Ambient- Always On Display, many internet posts for disabling. Do Not Disable!
Affects the screen saver display and wake up, touch screen. The touch screen seems to need this enabled for better response. I decided to enable the edges as well. Turned it to full squeeze. Do not wish the assistant but it seems that disabling it, and the rest really upsets touch screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I might be the only one but I disabled aod with no ill effect that I am aware of. I don't care for it.
Also, enabling the up-down arrows on wifi-data is a simple mod.
aod affects pick up wake, double tap wake. touch responsesivness is very finicky as is, worse with aod off.
spyknee said:
aod affects pick up wake, double tap wake. touch responsesivness is very finicky as is, worse with aod off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are just experiencing some placebo side effects, mate. AOD have NOTHING to do with the screen sensitivity.
The screen- and touch response is controlled at the kernel driver level. Not at software/application(s) level.
AOD
My issue was this, if I left the phone idle and untouched for awhile and then came to it and double tapped the screen, it would not wake up. I would have to use the side button to open. Sometimes the action of lifting would allow the double tap to work, but inconsistant. Doing the squeeze for the assistant was inconsistant as well.
The touch screen acts inconsistantly. If you do a horizontal movement, it interferes with a vertical swipe, I mean things seem to get canceled out. I have to initiate action multiple times to win.
heres the deal, i do not give a flying bleep whether its a hardware or software issue, I would like smart answers that give a solution, not assign a blame or fault. Or tell me I am somehow misinterpreting what I percieved.
So here is my take. The dam phone is overloaded with redundant crap, that steps on each other, interfering with it self. IMO everything in this phone should be disabled at purchase. The consumer should then enable those things it wants! Possibly eliminating over extended, overlapping services and hardware.
Now I say this because it appears that in fact to much was being asked of the phone and it was flipping out basically.
I dumped some google software, pretty much what it would let me.
I disabled the screen saver function, my belief is this was why i would not wake up. Screen saver or no, it times out going to the aod clock display, which I like. Now the phone responds to a lift and double tap everytime......................................................................................
I was using a single home screen, with the android p launcher sidebar. My issue was using swipes to navigate web sites, read stuff, sift thru pages. The swipes were not responding properly, PITA. It seems that by using a single home screen, it stilts the screen edge, makes a dead zone, interferes. Not to mention the right side slider swipe icon is useless as presented. It seems that enabling a 2nd home screen helps with that dead zone. Its not 100% when swiping thru pages but response has gotten more tolerable.
IMO
Thanks to fakebook, everyone should understand what these devices are truly about, DATA MINING.
Google
Verizon
LG,HTC,Samsung,Hauweii
Each and every phone has at minimum, 3 different forms of active data harvesting going on. manufacturers, carriers, media apps. The greatest performance killer of all, not to mention...........................................I have come to despise predictive search algos, targeted marketing adds, basically digital junk mail inundation.
So,
Been using the pix 2 awhile now. Really hated Oreo so I went into beta play to get pistachio. Used ver 3, now 4.
I really liked the initial ver 3 update cuz it removed so much bloat from carrier crap. Less google crap too it seems.
Now I like the responsiveness much better with ver 4. I still have everything I can disabled, disabled or removed. No AOD, active edges, tap to life, no music, movies, tv. No auto pay, auto track, auto search, google talk, nada.
Its a com device, an internet search device, thats it! Bat life is good, real good.
These devices are overburdened with non-sensical, redundancies, that create huge performance impacts. Seriously, how many ways are there to access a smartphone, on all at once.
Now I lift the phone, touch the physical button and walla, works every dam time.
Yep, flexible to meet millions of users needs...
Just dropping this here: https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-2/help/worth-buying-pixel-2-june-2018-t3803197
It might also give anyone also in a similar situation additional information to help deciding.
Hey Guys!
MIUI, a skin over android that we all know and love/hate/neutral of... With the upcoming MIUI 10 update coming over, I'm sure all of us are very excited for the new features, like the single camera bokeh effect, full screen gestures, and so on. But of course, MIUI has it's ups and down, like maybe an app drawer. We also know that there are other "skins" for android from other companies like say Huawei, One Plus, Oppo, etc. They have their own unique things about it which may attract people over to their platform for that very reason.
With all the unique features that other UIs have, maybe we could take some inspiration from them and maybe with MIUI 11, it could be integrated in. Who knows? So here are some of my suggestions:
- Off-screen Navigations
I know MIUI has things like double-tap to wake screen and such. But maybe add more of it. Say a music's playing, maybe with like a triple finger swipe to the left will skip it, a triple finger tap will pause it and play it, and a triple finger swipe from top to bottom or bottom to top may control the volume. There could be so much more to the navigations. It be very handy for when your screen's locked and we wanna so a quick action.
- Gaming Experience Mode (GEM)
Maybe something for the gamers too? Like say we press an icon like the "switch" button to go to second space, but this time it's something new like an "Enter GEM" setting, when enabled pops up a button like second space does. When pressed, it basically turns of syncing and such, focusing all the ram, cpu, gpu to the games available, where calls/notification are all turned off or maybe minimised to a small pop-up on the corner of the screen, swipe it away to ignore it or tap it to open up a small tab for suggestions, like maybe a WhatsApp message comes on, you tap the small icon and then 3 suggestions pop up. Eg. "Cant talk right now", "Talk to you later", or maybe "Duude! I'm playing PUBG right now!". It's up to you, you can edit it in the settings or some sort.
- Side-Assistant
You know how Samsung has experienceui or touchwiz? With their "edge" devices, you pull the edge of the screen from that curve that will pull a tab with contacts, etc. Well, MIUI could maybe do something similar? Rather than the "quick ball" option which limits us to 5 actions, maybe make it so that you pull the edge of the screen, then a small tab opens, which will contain contacts, quick actions like screenshot, flashlight etc. Suggested apps? It's almost limitless. Maybe even make a small google search bar in the side assistant tab.
- Navigation Button Pattern (NBP)
Ever placed something in a safe or some sort, and then we placed in a code so it could open it, of course you did. Well this is something similar, say we made a combination of, home button, then recent apps button, then home button again. We make a command for that exact pattern, say we make it so that if we do the pattern/combination, it will open settings or open an app, or call someone. It's pretty much limitless, with something like this, it could pretty much make shortcuts with a small move. It'll be pretty dandy you know!
- Lasting Power Mode
With MIUI's integrated battery saver mode, it will pretty much disable syncing and processes to make sure the battery last longer, but with that mode on, we could still probably spend loads of juice from just say using the GPS. So like Samsung's ultra power saving mode, this will limit us to certain apps that are essential, while making sure that non-essential processes and background actions are restricted to keep the battery alive as long as possible, but it comes with the cost of experience. But sometimes we really do need it, so it may just be worth it.
- Gyroscope Gestures
Come on Xiaomi! With the gyroscope in your devices, using that sensor of yours could really come in handy! Like maybe shake the phone to turn the flashlight on. Wave it to accept calls and put it on speakers, etc. Oh and a favourite of mine would be to flip the phone twice to turn camera on or something.
- Phone H Check (H means Health)
Now something with the built-in security app. We know how useful it is, how much we love it. How we can save space with it, etc. But sometimes having to wait to make sure our phone is in the best condition is a bit of a drag, for me at least. So... why don't you add a night check session, say every 1 A.M, it will do the optimization. Cleared the ram, junk, battery stuff, etc. So when we wake up, our phone is all healthy and ready to use!
So that's all I've got for now... Comment if you think if they're a good idea or a bad idea, etc. Maybe even suggest your own!