ubercrombie
Newbie
When I use the kickstand, it turns on the display obviously, but I was wondering if it was possible to have the display on at all times if the kickstand is up to use as an clock? Thanks in advance
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Help Motorola Kickstand, use as a clock?
- Thread starter ubercrombie
- Start date
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- Tags
- motorola photon 4g
teh_dude
Android Enthusiast
I don't have your phone, but it's android, so this should work fine. If you're thinking of a scenario perhaps where it's at your bedside when you sleep, you can charge your phone, and use that to keep your screen on at the same time.
Go to: Menu>Settings>Applications>Development, and check the box for "Stay awake". You'll see below it that it should say "Screen will never sleep while charging." This says exactly what it means. When unplugged, your phone will turn the screen off per usual and go into sleep mode, etc. When plugged in, the screen will eventually dim, but will not turn off as long as you don't unplug.
After setting the above, go into your apps and find the system Clock app, and open it so you'll have a big-number clock. Or if you want, there's any number of other clock apps on the Android Market. So you can do the above, open a clock app, pop the kickstand open, and plug your phone in, and the screen oughtta stay on for you.
However, I found this video here that demonstrates that you'll have to turn on the above "stay awake while charging" feature every time you want to do this, because for some reason closing the kickstand turns that stay-awake feature back off. See here: Motorola Photon, kickstand stay awake bug - YouTube
Go to: Menu>Settings>Applications>Development, and check the box for "Stay awake". You'll see below it that it should say "Screen will never sleep while charging." This says exactly what it means. When unplugged, your phone will turn the screen off per usual and go into sleep mode, etc. When plugged in, the screen will eventually dim, but will not turn off as long as you don't unplug.
After setting the above, go into your apps and find the system Clock app, and open it so you'll have a big-number clock. Or if you want, there's any number of other clock apps on the Android Market. So you can do the above, open a clock app, pop the kickstand open, and plug your phone in, and the screen oughtta stay on for you.
However, I found this video here that demonstrates that you'll have to turn on the above "stay awake while charging" feature every time you want to do this, because for some reason closing the kickstand turns that stay-awake feature back off. See here: Motorola Photon, kickstand stay awake bug - YouTube
busted bones
Android Enthusiast
Works perfectly for what I want. The night time brightness setting is pretty awesome too. That way my screen doesnt blind me if I wake up in the middle of the night. Im just curious how much wear and tear extra this would put on the phone though.
cds0699
Android Expert
To my knowledge, it shouldn't affect the phone. It might wear down the battery a lil faster because its using a lot of battery to keep the screen on, but I dont think it will be that bad long term... these batteries are meant to last years.
Citizen Coyote
Android Enthusiast
Are you using a replacement launcher? Things like Go Launcher, Launcher Pro, and ADW override the clock when you open the kickstand. That appears to be an exclusive feature of the stock not-Blur launcher.
drexappeal
Extreme Android User
You have to set the active kickstand to be on in the main settings area. I think it's under display settings, but can't remember.
drexappeal
Extreme Android User
Prompted for what in Launcher Pro?
I've been running Launcher Pro Plus from day 1 and the active kickstand has never launched the desktop clock that's on the OEM Motorola UI.
Streptovsky
Newbie
Okay, so, I got my Photon this morning and I'm super happy with it, no complaints at all. I do, however, need help finding something.
I've been using my phone(s) as alarms lately, since I don't have an actual alarm clock, and my last two phones (HTC Droid Eris and LG Optimus T) both had clocks that had a 'night time' mode where it would dim the screen and effectively lock the phone, but you could still see the time without it projecting a lot of light and keeping you awake.
I can't seem to find that on my Photon. The only clock like app is the Alarms and Timer application, but that doesn't have a dimmer option and it's pure white so that'd be putting off a lot of light.
Anyone have any ideas what to do? Am I missing an app or do I need to download something from the market.
If it matters, I'm running ADW Launcher with the 'Glow Legacy Red Pro ADW Theme' by Mariux.
I'd also love to know if anyone out there that uses ADW knows how to add more home screens? ADW seems to lock it at 5, and I'd like to have 7.
Thanks in advance for the help.
I've been using my phone(s) as alarms lately, since I don't have an actual alarm clock, and my last two phones (HTC Droid Eris and LG Optimus T) both had clocks that had a 'night time' mode where it would dim the screen and effectively lock the phone, but you could still see the time without it projecting a lot of light and keeping you awake.
I can't seem to find that on my Photon. The only clock like app is the Alarms and Timer application, but that doesn't have a dimmer option and it's pure white so that'd be putting off a lot of light.
Anyone have any ideas what to do? Am I missing an app or do I need to download something from the market.
If it matters, I'm running ADW Launcher with the 'Glow Legacy Red Pro ADW Theme' by Mariux.
I'd also love to know if anyone out there that uses ADW knows how to add more home screens? ADW seems to lock it at 5, and I'd like to have 7.
Thanks in advance for the help.
busted bones
Android Enthusiast
I dont know about the ADW but if you pull out the kickstand it should give you an option for either the home screen or the widget clock. Choose the widget clock. Once its there, there should be a screen brightness widget on the left hand side of the home screen. click on that and it puts the phone into night time mode. Theres also a setting under the under applications click on development and youll see one that says stay awake and if youre charging your phone the screen never shuts off that way you have a clock going the whole night.
drexappeal
Extreme Android User
Just tested this theory out because I never set that as a default, prior to deciding to go back to using Launcher Pro Plus (rather than Motorola's stock launcher). It seems that any aftermarket launcher disables the "active kickstand" and desk clock functionality. There are alternative apps that can provide a desk clock though.
If you want to maintain that function, you can also use the app Homesmack to toggle over to the stock motorola launcher whenever you're going to open your kickstand at night and use the desk clock mode.
drexappeal
Extreme Android User
Okay, I figured it out!
The active kickstand does in fact work with aftermarket launchers. After you activate the active kickstand (through the settings), all you need to do is press the HOME button and it launches the desktop clock mode. In order to make sure this happens, switch back to Motorola's launcher temporarily to set the widget clock as default (when the kickstand is opened), just like busted bones said.
My apologies, as I didn't realize it was such a "simple" step as pressing the HOME button to activate the widget clock. Although this is great, I'm not completely convinced that I like it compared to the desk clock app I downloaded.
The active kickstand does in fact work with aftermarket launchers. After you activate the active kickstand (through the settings), all you need to do is press the HOME button and it launches the desktop clock mode. In order to make sure this happens, switch back to Motorola's launcher temporarily to set the widget clock as default (when the kickstand is opened), just like busted bones said.
My apologies, as I didn't realize it was such a "simple" step as pressing the HOME button to activate the widget clock. Although this is great, I'm not completely convinced that I like it compared to the desk clock app I downloaded.
Streptovsky
Newbie
I'm not quite sure how to switch back to the default launcher from ADW Launcher, any help there? I've been through the ADWLauncher settings and it seems the only options are 'reset' and 'restart'
drexappeal
Extreme Android User
Check out the Launcher thread I started:
http://androidforums.com/motorola-p...rmarket-rooting-not-required.html#post3087410
In that thread, on the first post, I have a link to an app in the market called HomeSmack.
That app allows you to switch back and forth from your current launcher (ADW) to the stock launcher. It's really easy to use. Once you've downloaded the app, open that app and it'll bring up a menu (defaulted to show the launcher or launchers that you're running). There's an arrow next to each launcher that will open whichever launcher you're wanting to open. You can also easily switch the "default" launcher at the bottom of that same page.
Now, in order to set the active kickstand usage, just open the Motorola launcher (using HomeSmack) and once your phone re-launches the Motorola launcher, go into your settings and verify that the active kickstand is enabled. From there, open the kickstand and you should get a prompt asking which action you'd like to set as default. Choose the widget option and toggle the check box to save the default. Once you've done that and saved, the clock should pop up immediately afterwards. Hold down the Home capacitive button (until the Recent Apps window pops up) and click on HomeSmack. Switch back to ADW and test out to see if the desktop clock launches when you touch the home capacitive button. It works on Launcher Pro Plus, but not sure about ADW.
Streptovsky
Newbie
Ah. I appreciate the help but I ended up just downloading a clock app from the market that's actually exactly what my LG phone came preloaded with. The alarm is really quiet though it barely wakes me up. Seems to be the problem with every clock I try.
drexappeal
Extreme Android User
Yeah, I'm actually using an app for my desk clock as well. Just a plain black background w/ customizable colors for the clock, as well as date, and battery life percentage (although, the battery percentage is not quite accurate because it's another one that only registers the 5-10% change on Motorola phones).
I have been using the HDMI dock at my bedside to charge my phone overnight, but when I use the alarm clock function, the soft keys at the bottom stay lit up and they are WAY too bright next to the bed. The screen dims with the nighttime setting, but the soft keys do not. I hadn't tried the kickstand method - do the keys turn off? Also, if you are charging it, do you turn it upside down so the plug enters at the top? I checked and the clock does rotate.
razingkane
Lurker
I got my Photon last week and loaded on LauncherPro. Didn't even think that it would do something to the kickstand. Now I have LauncherPro and the Kickstand working as designed.....Thanks for your help!
drexappeal
Extreme Android User
No problem. Glad it helped. Little things we had to figure out, especially for people that purchased at launch. Nontheless, some very cool functions on the MoPho that I really enjoy, this being one of them.