Related
Ok, probably not. There's gotta be a perfectly valid explanation, but I just noticed this:
When I open Albums on my Hero and look at a single photograph, I can zoom in and out by pinching. Same goes for web pages. We all know this.
But the thing is: if I put my phone down on the table and try to pinch with just one hand (thumb+index finger), it doesn't work!
I only need to touch the phone with one finger on my left hand and it starts working. I have to touch the back or the frame. The chin doesn't react.
I tried it on an iPhone and it works with only one hand. It must be some conductivity issue and the Hero simply has a touch screen that works differently from iPhones.
It isn't really a problem for me: I can hold the phone in both hands while pinching. I just found it slightly interesting...
Yeah I have noticed that as well. Although if you try to calibrate using the g-sensor calibration tool it sometime fixes the issue...
Clue is in the technology? Capacitative touch screen....hit the physics books guys
A good capacitive screen doesn't require the user to complete a circuit with the phone using another hand to hold it, or by touching the bezel with a finger. The problem is either in the circuitry driving the touchscreen or possibly with the algorithms used to establish finger gestures and position.
It's even feasible that the metal bezel interferes with the electrostatic field introduced when your finger is in proximity with the screen. This would explain why the sensitivity is reduced around the edges of the screen.
Spose you need to form a complete circuit for it to work. Interesting point though, I didn't know that capacitive screens needed a second 'plate' to work (i.e. more than just the screen alone).
Makes sense though if you think about it.
Q.I indeed
jayjay said:
Ok, probably not. There's gotta be a perfectly valid explanation, but I just noticed this:
When I open Albums on my Hero and look at a single photograph, I can zoom in and out by pinching. Same goes for web pages. We all know this.
But the thing is: if I put my phone down on the table and try to pinch with just one hand (thumb+index finger), it doesn't work!
I only need to touch the phone with one finger on my left hand and it starts working. I have to touch the back or the frame. The chin doesn't react.
I tried it on an iPhone and it works with only one hand. It must be some conductivity issue and the Hero simply has a touch screen that works differently from iPhones.
It isn't really a problem for me: I can hold the phone in both hands while pinching. I just found it slightly interesting...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The metal bezel actually acts like a ground point between the capacitive circuitry and your finger. When you are touching at the very edges of the capacitive area there simply isn't enough room to get a good grounding point so the driver/controller gets a hard time of locating what points are actually grounded. The bezel helps in this regard.
Switchbitch said:
A good capacitive screen doesn't require the user to complete a circuit with the phone using another hand to hold it, or by touching the bezel with a finger. The problem is either in the circuitry driving the touchscreen or possibly with the algorithms used to establish finger gestures and position.
It's even feasible that the metal bezel interferes with the electrostatic field introduced when your finger is in proximity with the screen. This would explain why the sensitivity is reduced around the edges of the screen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...perhaps not then lol
Yeah, well I hate to be the one to ask, but why does it work on the iPhone then? I realize it's a grounding / closed circuit issue, but if another similar phone can do it, then there's obviously a way around it.
And another question: Why doesn't pinching work, but normal one-fingered touching does?
Only place where I could see this becoming a problem is when you dock your device to some plastic holder in a car and want to pinch to zoom in some navigator software. Letting go of the steering wheel to use two hands on your phone isn't necessarily the safest thing in the world. One would assume though, that the interface in any navigator software wouldn't require complex gestures while operating it...
i confrim, using hero without touch the metal edge result in less responsivity and difficult on multitouch operation
hope new firmware can solve this, too many errors using it like a normal keyboard on a table!
So I decided to scout for something that would let me ride with the TrueSmart camera facing forward. This is to capture waypoint pictures as I'm riding along my planned route using Ride with GPS. I may also use it for capturing video and whatnot - it just depends on how adventurous I'm feeling.
What got this project started was a really interesting part - a water bottle cage bracket that bolts onto the bike frame, and it happens to also fit the diameter of my handlebars - with just a bit of hand bending of the hinge to get it to open up enough to latch properly.
I coupled that with a 1" diameter rubber mounted zing ring clamp I found at Lowe's hardware store, which I then re-shaped and fit the squared off form. I knew I'd need some clearance to get the Polar watch mount high enough off of the handle bar top - to have enough spacing to pass the watch band underneath. I probably would have been fine with a 3/4" ring clamp, but I went with the largest one I could find to be safe.
The rest you can see in the photos. I added some #10 washers because I'm lazy. I figured it would take less turns to get the screws out when it came time to remove the watch. But the washers may be a PITA, so it may come down to finding hardware that's a better length next time I'm at the hardware store.
Ride with GPS just put a 'lock screen orientation' feature, which I really, really like. Unfortunately they place the landscape orientation 180 degrees out of alignment with what I need. So you betcha I'll be asking for a tweak to that setting, or will look for a customization that will force the orientation of the app at launch. (maybe an XPosed module?)
Anyway, if anyone else has a mind to do something similar, I think the water bottle clamp was $8, the ring clamp was $1.34 and the washers were $.38. So - $10 and you've got a workable solution that doesn't look too banged up.
[Oh - I've had that Polar watch mount forever, I think it's less than $10 too - so under $20 all-in would be a better estimate.]
It's one of those features that I loved as soon as I heard about it in the original Moto X. I thought "that's real, useful, innovation." But the implementation in the 6P is poop. I can't reliably get the thing to work at all. As in, it works with movement, but I can't tell you how to reliably set it off. At all.
One other thing I've noticed is the screen is fully woken up by (I think) any touch on the screen when Active Display is on. Which seems very wasteful.
I'm guessing this is purely software because the sensors in the 6P are more than up to the task. I would also think it would be nice to have a setting to simply use the power button to, in essence, half wake the screen the way Active Display does. Then tapping on the notification will perform as normal.
Sound off if these issues are limited to just me. I actually hope they are.
Seems to work pretty well for me, i wouldn't say 100% but most times i pick up the phone, or take it out of my pocket.. it lights up
Laying down flat, picking up the device shows info.
Laying down flat, a little twist shows info.
Picking it up seems more reliable, but the nudge left or right when flat needs to be a decent "nudge". Otherwise it would be switching on constantly, which would be a waste.
And waking when touching any part of the screen when adisplay is showing is normal behavior.
Maybe when development moves ahead we'll have more control over it's behavior. I can see devs having fun with this feature.
+1 for the OP. I've been using the phone about a full day now and I've seen the active display like maybe 3 times, never when it really made any sense. Bummer.
Owned my phone less than 24hrs, installed a screen protector before using the phone. Ambient display want really working. I took the glass screen protector off, ambient display has come back. I'm wondering if the sensor is that sensitive.
Soulfulgrey said:
It's one of those features that I loved as soon as I heard about it in the original Moto X. I thought "that's real, useful, innovation." But the implementation in the 6P is poop. I can't reliably get the thing to work at all. As in, it works with movement, but I can't tell you how to reliably set it off. At all.
One other thing I've noticed is the screen is fully woken up by (I think) any touch on the screen when Active Display is on. Which seems very wasteful.
I'm guessing this is purely software because the sensors in the 6P are more than up to the task. I would also think it would be nice to have a setting to simply use the power button to, in essence, half wake the screen the way Active Display does. Then tapping on the notification will perform as normal.
Sound off if these issues are limited to just me. I actually hope they are.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The touch layer and the actual display are 2 different pieces of hardware, you probably can't limit what portions of the touch layer are active, it's either on or off but that has nothing to do with what pixels are turned on. Hope that helps.
Just turned it on to test. Seems to light up when its supposed to. Turned it back off because I use android wear and don't need it.
My switching from Active Display (Moto X 2013) to Ambient Display (Nexus 6) was tough, but I got used to it. My 6p seems to not work as well or the same as my N6 did.
In the morning if I wake up before my alarm I would grab my N6 to activate the Ambient Display and see the clock, as well as my notifications (I get the weather in the morning) to see if there was anything urgent (text from a coworker, etc).
With my 6p when I pick it up, nothing seems to happen, or at least not as quickly as it did with my N6. N6 would show it on almost any movement, but the 6p requires it to be fully picked up all the way and almost vertical before it shows anything. Not sure if this is gyro or software related. If I pick it up from flat and rotate 90 degrees right (like it would be if it was sitting next to my bed), effectively making it vertical in landscape mode) nothing happens. If I hold it vertical in portrait, it shows me.
Just something to get used to, I guess.
Active display is rubbish on the 6P lol. That's coming from a user BTW, its just not reliable.
I agree with OP. I sat phone beside me and noticed it would light up when I got a new message. Then a few seconds after, without touching or moving it, it would light up again (no new anything happened), then it would light up again. Not sure what's waking it up, but quite annoying. Should absolutely be a software fix though.
johnhazelwood said:
I agree with OP. I sat phone beside me and noticed it would light up when I got a new message. Then a few seconds after, without touching or moving it, it would light up again (no new anything happened), then it would light up again. Not sure what's waking it up, but quite annoying. Should absolutely be a software fix though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is one thing that is reliable for me! Lol. When a notification comes through, it will activate once, then turn off, then activate again shortly after. I'm not sure if it's mean to do this or not, but at least it's reliable.
I should make it clear though that in my short time with the device, it is a definite top quality phone. The Active Display just seems to be, for me at least, a noticeable deviation from the very high bar set by the rest of the device. I did read other reviewers with issues, but then, how much faith can you put in a 48 hour review. I've had mine for almost a week and still feel like I'm just getting to know it.
sluflyer06 said:
The touch layer and the actual display are 2 different pieces of hardware, you probably can't limit what portions of the touch layer are active, it's either on or off but that has nothing to do with what pixels are turned on. Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True-ish. It is indeed possible to have a software solution that ignores certain touch events even though the hardware layer will consistently recognise touch events as long as the touch layer is active. If the Active Display becomes just another UI, then the notification icons/regions become touch targets and the rest of the screen can be written in software to not be touch targets and thus not respond to touch inputs.
I'm not sure what this method would look like in practice. So for example, when the Active Display has been activated, would there be a way to fully activate the screen by a touch method without touching a notification? Maybe a special region at the bottom of the screen? No idea. Just thinking out loud.
Coming from Active Display on the Droid Maxx, Ambient Display is very disappointing and actually leads to my emergency dialer engaging sometimes when the phone is in the pocket of looser pants. But it doesn't display when I would like it to, with just a nudge, like the Motorola implementation.
I've messed around with my dad's phone. He has the Moto X as well. I can literally just wave my hand in front of the screen and it comes on. I thought that was awesome. This phone does seem a bit inconvenient if I just want to quickly get the time or my notifications. Then again that's why I have a (smart)watch. Not sure where I'm going with this.
Good talk....
I've figured it out! Feeling quite pleased with myself.
Based on the responses of others, I tried using it slightly differently. Now, I figured out two instances which regularly and reliably activate the Active Display.
The first is when the phone is flat on a surface, if I pick it up to be perpendicular to the floor, either portrait or landscape seems fine, it will activate. I believe this actually works from almost any starting point as long as the end point is the phone being upright and vertical.
The second is with it again starting flat on the table. Holding it by the bottom of the phone, moving it semi-quickly across the table, only about 5 cm seems needed, and then stopping quickly. This is a strange one which I only found when I bumped it into something on the table. I have a case so was not bothered testing this repeatedly.
I know correct my first statement. The feature is not poop. Well, not total poop. There are other instances that will activate it but I don't know how to do them reproducibly. If that's a word.
Hope this helps someone.
RoyJ said:
I've messed around with my dad's phone. He has the Moto X as well. I can literally just wave my hand in front of the screen and it comes on. I thought that was awesome. This phone does seem a bit inconvenient if I just want to quickly get the time or my notifications. Then again that's why I have a (smart)watch. Not sure where I'm going with this.
Good talk....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats a pretty nifty idea, if its flat... give it a bit of " These aren't the droids you're looking for" to wake the screen.
Surely cant be that hard to do.........
..... i cant do it
My active display does nothing. Doesn't activate anything even shaking the phone.
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
Stretlow said:
Thats a pretty nifty idea, if its flat... give it a bit of " These aren't the droids you're looking for" to wake the screen.
Surely cant be that hard to do.........
..... i cant do it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Moto X (2014 and after) does it as it has other sensors on the front, the 6P doesn't. However, the Moto X (2013) did it with Kitkat as it used the proximity sensor, which was less reliable but still effective, but this was removed in Lollipop. To be fair, ambient display doesn't work nearly as well as Moto's active display. I bet a dev could activate it via proximity sensor, should people want it enough.
Soulfulgrey said:
I've figured it out! Feeling quite pleased with myself.
Based on the responses of others, I tried using it slightly differently. Now, I figured out two instances which regularly and reliably activate the Active Display.
The first is when the phone is flat on a surface, if I pick it up to be perpendicular to the floor, either portrait or landscape seems fine, it will activate. I believe this actually works from almost any starting point as long as the end point is the phone being upright and vertical.
The second is with it again starting flat on the table. Holding it by the bottom of the phone, moving it semi-quickly across the table, only about 5 cm seems needed, and then stopping quickly. This is a strange one which I only found when I bumped it into something on the table. I have a case so was not bothered testing this repeatedly.
I know correct my first statement. The feature is not poop. Well, not total poop. There are other instances that will activate it but I don't know how to do them reproducibly. If that's a word.
Hope this helps someone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When laying flat - give it a quick twist - about 45 degrees - and back again.
I see most don't agree with the implementation, but think about it. If it was more sensitive, it would be waking all the time. That's definitely less battery efficient.
Once you get used to it, it's not bad at all, and I can see devs adding more control over how it works - like a sensitivity setting.
Hint hint devs!
Phazmos said:
When laying flat - give it a quick twist - about 45 degrees - and back again.
I see most don't agree with the implementation, but think about it. If it was more sensitive, it would be waking all the time. That's definitely less battery efficient.
Once you get used to it, it's not bad at all, and I can see devs adding more control over how it works - like a sensitivity setting.
Hint hint devs!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tbh, the more I use it, the more I understand why it has this implementation and you are right, there would probably be a battery burden to make it more sensitive. I just wish they could have advertised it. Maybe a deep dive YouTube video or something.
i dont get it, majority moan and down rate Samsung for its location, i find it perfect as when i hold or pickup the phone my index finger naturally extends to the sensor
Seems like the only reviewer agreeing on this
https://youtu.be/esdpijm0BCc?t=246
vadimo said:
i dont get it, majority moan and down rate Samsung for its location, i find it perfect as when i hold or pickup the phone my index finger naturally extends to the sensor
Seems like the only reviewer agreeing on this
?t=246
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like it too...
Because it is hard to reach without changing holding position for most people. I need to hold the phone tight on both sides for my index to access the sensor but in this position I can't use my phone coz my thumb is not long enough to touch the other end of screen so everytime I have to move my hand up and down to unlock and use. The back of phone is very slippery and when my focus is somewhere else there is a chance the phone might slip and fall while unlocking if I am not careful. Pixel/6p like sensor position would've worked the best for note.
smackdownn said:
Because it is hard to reach without changing holding position for most people. I need to hold the phone tight on both sides for my index to access the sensor but in this position I can't use my phone coz my thumb is not long enough to touch the other end of screen so everytime I have to move my hand up and down to unlock and use. The back of phone is very slippery and when my focus is somewhere else there is a chance the phone might slip and fall while unlocking if I am not careful. Pixel/6p like sensor position would've worked the best for note.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i guess we handle differently, i always pickup phone holding it both sides with one hand but then soon after unlock i ease the grip and start holding phone however i wish
It's in the perfect place for me too. The bixby button is in a bad place personally, because I still tap it accidentally holding my phone. I just got a new bike mount for my phone and the sides hit the button too if I center the phone on the holder.
vadimo said:
i dont get it, majority moan and down rate Samsung for its location, i find it perfect as when i hold or pickup the phone my index finger naturally extends to the sensor
Seems like the only reviewer agreeing on this
https://youtu.be/esdpijm0BCc?t=246
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Works great and feels natural if you hold the phone right handed, but I hold my phone left handed. Wish I held my phone in my right hand and I would be golden then.
vadimo said:
i guess we handle differently, i always pickup phone holding it both sides with one hand but then soon after unlock i ease the grip and start holding phone however i wish
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It just worries me sometimes because it's so shiny and expensive . Probably wont mind after using it for a month or so. It's not a dealbreaker but I hate it when a product gets everything right except "that one thing".
I have know issues with it all
vadimo said:
i dont get it, majority moan and down rate Samsung for its location, i find it perfect as when i hold or pickup the phone my index finger naturally extends to the sensor
Seems like the only reviewer agreeing on this
https://youtu.be/esdpijm0BCc?t=246
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
apparently a lot of people have small hands or no finger muscle memory......or those people seems to hold their phones all the way at the bottom to the point that their thumb is at least an inch or more below the power bottom. for small hands people if their thumb is on the power button then index finger will fall right on the fingerprint reader or for people with a bit larger hands if thumb is at the bottom or right below the power button then index finger would land right on the reader. but people hold their phones differently than others and there will always be people who complain just to complain.
coming from the v20 I find that the fingerprint reader placement on the Note 8 is actually in the perfect spot for me, its easy to reach with one hand or even if holding the phone with both hands.
i dont have any issues either - for a regular/medium sized hand user. fingerprint registers at least 95% of the time with no issues with reach.
Personally I don't even use fingerprint (face recognition works most of the time) that much and placement doesn't bother me, until I use the phone while driving, which is often. The way my phone is mounted face recognition doesn't work, fingerprint sensor is out of reach and typing passwords in heavy traffic I usually find myself in, could be hair raising. My car has BT, so it unlocks while connected , but my wife's car doesn't have BT, so have to risk accident or ticket, sometimes both. But I love my N8 and sensor is on my "could be done better, but I can live with it" list. Sometimes I ask myself why I'm locking my phone and from whom, but that's another topic.
pete4k said:
Personally I don't even use fingerprint (face recognition works most of the time) that much and placement doesn't bother me, until I use the phone while driving, which is often. The way my phone is mounted face recognition doesn't work, fingerprint sensor is out of reach and typing passwords in heavy traffic I usually find myself in, could be hair raising. My car has BT, so it unlocks while connected , but my wife's car doesn't have BT, so have to risk accident or ticket, sometimes both. But I love my N8 and sensor is on my "could be done better, but I can live with it" list. Sometimes I ask myself why I'm locking my phone and from whom, but that's another topic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use Iris scanner primarily but later at night when I'm in bed I prefer using the fingerprint scanner so I don't blind myself or my wife who's sitting beside me in bed.
vadimo said:
i dont get it, majority moan and down rate Samsung for its location, i find it perfect as when i hold or pickup the phone my index finger naturally extends to the sensor
Seems like the only reviewer agreeing on this
?t=246
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The placement is fine for me but I think it would be better if it were centered. Just so that it's as easy for left-handed ppl. Same way I would like samsung to let us turn the gear s3 screen upside down for those who like to wear their watches on the right wrist.
I have smaller hands, and it works perfect for me. In fact , now after having the phone for a few days, I can work it lefty or righty. Kinda like it better now, didn't think I would say that , but man that big unblocked screen is nice.
Sent from my Galaxy Note8 using XDA Labs
honestly i dont know.. the only time i use the fingerprint sensor is to set my fingerprint.
I also setup IRIS recognition. most of the time before i move my finger to the sensor it already detected my eyes and unlocked the phone.
vadimo said:
i dont get it, majority moan and down rate Samsung for its location, i find it perfect as when i hold or pickup the phone my index finger naturally extends to the sensor
Seems like the only reviewer agreeing on this
https://youtu.be/esdpijm0BCc?t=246
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the same opinion when i had not actually used the phone(or an s8), but since getting a note 8 it really is great placement IMO. its easy and way faster than any other unlock. TBH i only recently realised i didnt have to actually wake the phone to use the fingerprint haha i was too used to pressing power and then scanning like on my old s7edge.
The placement is great for me, i practically unlock the phone as its slideing out of my pocket like i would any other, but with the added functionality of not actually needing to wake the phone it is actually faster than it was on the old models with the sensor on the front.
speaking from a pull out of pocket senario, i think it is probably easier to drop your phone pulling it out and unlocking it from the front, this new placement you can slide it out with full grip on the phone.
what floats your boat, sinks others! I hate it. And if Samsung truly believed it works, why place the sensor back on the front (target future S9/Note 9)?
I thought it would a problem. Once I got used to it. I have no issues works great.
I don't like it.
It has nothing to do with hand size. It cracks me up when new phones come out and people start giving their physical stats as if they're looking for a date.
My phone is usually lying face up. It was much easier to reach over to the table, placing my thumb on the sensor while grasping the phone. It was almost a single move.
Then there were the times it would be on my desk at work standing on my desk with the vertical kickstand. I could simply press the button, holding my thumb on it unlocking it. Didn't have to turn the phone or even pick it up from the desk.
So basically, it was easier due to the fact that the phone could be unlocked without even grasping it.
Yep, pefect place.
The center on the LG phone never felt natural to me.
This phone simply feels clunky. As much as I've been able to customize it to my liking, I still have some gripes about the physical makeup of the device.
Firstly, the physical casing being completely made of glass only gives me a major case of anxiety. It slides on any surface I place it on. I had to get a case just to stop the phone from falling off my lap anymore.
Secondly, the increased height of the phone is nice, but it makes the placement of the hardware buttons feel off. I feel like I want to place my thumb over the volume rocker and my middle and ring fingers over the Google button. I wish I could switch the buttons around somehow.
Thirdly, because of the awkward aspect ratio of the screen, lots of apps won't work without breaking their view to try to make up for landscape view. I can't message in landscape for anything.
Overall, it has a nice camera, and decent power for a daily driver, but it's too unwieldy for me to prefer it as mine. Just enough to annoy me away. Even after installing AIO Launcher and setting up all my unlocks and becoming more familiar with the phone, I'm just afraid it's taken more time than I'm comfortable with.
At this point I'm using this phone because it's a gift. I want to give it a fair chance. It's only been the first week, but I'm rather distasteful of some features. Perhaps I will find more settings to fiddle with somehow.
Please let me know if any of you have this same issue. I actually just sent part of this review into the official Nokia review line earlier so yeah. Perhaps I'm doing this to see if my thoughts are valid, I dunno
EDIT: completely invalid. After about a week and a half of use I completely forgot about my gripes - and even that I made this post. All in all a great phone, works well. Only wish I could unlock bootloader on Android 11 at this point lmao.
I quite like the feel of it, even with a rather large case. The size of the phone, and its aspect ratio did put me off at first, but after a month or two it's natural in my hand.
Honestly, as much as I hate big I can deal with it, but big AND this heavy? And no wireless charging?