Clock app as lock screen

[jcmtyler]

Just stumbled across this today: if you open the Clock app (shows time, weather, and alarms) and then let the screen timeout or hit the lock/power button, the screen and soft keys will lock and darken, but any physical key will unlock the screen without requiring you to do the normal unlock slide. You are then taken back to the Clock app with the screen unlocked and active.

I tried to do the same with a couple of other apps (open app, hit lock button, then try to unlock) and I was always forced to do the lock button and unlock slide sequence.

I Googled a bit and searched this forum to see if this had been reported on other phones, perhaps this is new to 2.1? It would be nice if this had been restricted to just the lock button, I think it would be fairly easy to accidentally touch the trackball while the phone is in your pocket, which would unlock the screen.

 

[maverickreloaded]

i know if you hit that sun/moon icon in the upper-right corner of the screen it'll darken the screen and show the time using the whole screen.

 

[jcmtyler]

Yeah, the screen dimmer button is a bit odd. If you tap it once the screen dims almost completely dark, which might be nice if you're in a pitch black room. But it doesn't stay that way, once the screen times out the brightness is back to normal.

If you long-press the dimmer button, as you said the entire screen gets replaced by the clock in a dark green color, but again, once the screen times out and you wake it back up again, the display is back to normal. I could really see the use if that were a permanent toggle for the Clock app display, as the very dim mode or green clock would be helpful in bedside mode.

Anyway, I wonder if these "features" are documented anywhere (other than the source code)? You have to believe there's stuff like this hidden all throughout the OS.

 

[huntington]

Im guessing the reason it is that way is because they might release a docking device that acts as a true alarm clock like the Droid.

I also like it how when you put it in landcape the wallpaper rotate with it too which looks very nice.

 

[afine1]

I could really see the use if that were a permanent toggle for the Clock app display, as the very dim mode or green clock would be helpful in bedside mode.

well, your in luck. it does do this as long as you are on a charger. thats why it has this feature. try it, you'll see.

the only issue is that the bottom keys still stay lit up.