Foward facing camera on front?

[hourang]

does the eris have a forward facing camera? on the top left it looks like a camera. i guess it could be a led diode, i dont think ive ever seen it light up though. looks like a camera. anyone know wtf it is?

 

[willdogs]

Ambient Light Sensor.

 

[DDustiNN]

Cover it with your finger - you'll see the screen dim, because the phone now thinks you are in the dark and don't need the screen to be as bright.

Cover it while you're on a call - you'll see the screen go black, because the phone now thinks that you have it to your ear, and doesn't want you to "cheek-dial" anything.

That's about all it's used for, really... at least that I've noticed

I turned off the auto-dim option because I always seemed to cover it up when I put it into landscape mode, so my screen was always randomly switching back and forth between dim and bright... very annoying.

 

[hourang]

ahhh ok thanks, it has been bugging me ever since i got the phone and have been searching and couldnt find anything on the subject. thats cool about the auto dim and autolock when on call, i thought it used the accelerameter or something to know you moved the phone. i feel dumb.

 

[pkopalek]

They call it the 'Proximity Sensor' in the manual. This is sort of a mis-naming, since it clearly detects light. The proximity to your face, for sure, is accounted for by having the light blocked (and therefore the screen dim on a phone call, then light back up when you remove it from your face).

 

[Gnok31]

Has anyone noticed another circle/diode below and to the right of the proximity sensor? You can only see it in direct sunlight. Not sure what that is and I don't think it mentions it in the manual.

 

[rick311]

They call it the 'Proximity Sensor' in the manual. This is sort of a mis-naming, since it clearly detects light. The proximity to your face, for sure, is accounted for by having the light blocked (and therefore the screen dim on a phone call, then light back up when you remove it from your face).

not really. try making a call when its pitch black. the phone will be lit, then go dim when you put it to your face, then light back up when you pull away. it is a proximity sensor in every sense of the word.

 

[Caddyman]

very strange debate..odd results

in a pitch black room if you make a call it will indeed stay lit until you cover the sensor

in a light room if you take a flashlight and cover the sensor it will NOT sense it. if you turn the flashlight off, it WILL sense it...

very strange...like a combo proximity/light sensor

 

[jamezelle]

very strange debate..odd results

in a pitch black room if you make a call it will indeed stay lit until you cover the sensor

in a light room if you take a flashlight and cover the sensor it will NOT sense it. if you turn the flashlight off, it WILL sense it...

very strange...like a combo proximity/light sensor

AFAIK there are 2 sensors the ambient light sensor and the one he -vv- is talking about which is the proximity sensor

Has anyone noticed another circle/diode below and to the right of the proximity sensor? You can only see it in direct sunlight. Not sure what that is and I don't think it mentions it in the manual.

 

[suXor]

AFAIK there are 2 sensors the ambient light sensor and the one he -vv- is talking about which is the proximity sensor

Correct, that is standard on most devices like this. Ambient Light sensor for screen brightness adjustment, and proximity for turning the screen off when held to the face to avoid accidental screen presses.

 

[hourang]

cool stuff