Messages

1

Cosmo Communicator - CoDi / How to stop muting the call with my face/cheek?

« on: March 27, 2020, 07:20:41 pm »

Thanks Zarhan. I submitted the issue. Hope it is effective.

2

Cosmo Communicator - CoDi / How to stop muting the call with my face/cheek?

« on: March 27, 2020, 04:39:21 pm »

Thanks for the reply Zarhan.

Would there be any benefit for multiple users to report it to PC? If so, is there a link? I recall seeing one but have not located a link for users to report issues to PC.

Cheers!

3

Cosmo Communicator - CoDi / How to stop muting the call with my face/cheek?

« on: March 26, 2020, 10:44:05 pm »

Hi All,

When I am on a phone call, the CoDi display does not dim or turn black when I have the Cosmo next to my face/cheek. If I don't angle the phone away from my face, I inevitably press the mute icon on CoDi display with my cheek and not realize it until the person I talk to asks 'Are you there?'

Is there a setting I have missed that enables the CoDi to go black when next to my face?

If not, what is the best way to send a request to enable to CoDi display to go black when I am on a call with the phone next to my face?

Cheers!

4

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Poor battery life

« on: December 01, 2019, 10:06:20 am »

I've had the cosmo for about 2 weeks now, and I'm easily getting a day out of it. Off the charger (left side) at 6am, back from work around 6pm, lots of use during the evening (it is still a new toy  ), and I am around 30-40%. I connect a smart watch, so I have disabled Duraspeed, and routinely turn off the cover (and LEDs) with the silver button when I close the cosmo. The display pops back when something happens (eg sms, email etc). Not had any battery issues. I will say that I completely charged it before turning on for the first time - and this must be the first time I have ever done this.....

It is 3:30pm here, and the battery is currently 70%, I have made a few phone calls, visited many web pages and read email/sms. So, 9.5 hours for 30% is about 3% per hour. Not all that bad. I have 4G data turned on, I'm connected to the corporate wifi, and my watch is connected via bluetooth.

If you are having battery problems, have you checkout out the battery settings? It can show a graph of the battery usage, and what apps have used the most etc. Oh, My screen is at about 50% brightness.

After about a week of use, I report similar experience. I am getting more than a day's use out of the battery. Currently, after 22 hours, I have 25% battery remaining and Android estimates next recharge will be in 7 hours. My usage has been SMS testing, Notes App, Audio Podcasts, and web browsing (news and this forum). I recharge the Cosmo when the battery is down to less than 10% (sometimes less than 5%). The next week will include same use but with some YouTube video watching.

I will be happy with a 24+ hour battery life; however, I will appreciate any software optimizations that can make the battery last longer.

Cheers!

5

Cosmo Communicator - Android / Android Enhancements Wish List

« on: December 01, 2019, 07:04:25 am »

A. For Planet Computer apps (e.g., Notes, Agenda, Airmail), more keyboard shortcuts for use in the app itself. As many that are useful and practical. For example:

- Close the app
- Change cursor/input focus to another part of the app (e.g., ctrl + tab)

6

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Front External Display Wish List

« on: December 01, 2019, 06:56:21 am »

In addition to Airplane Mode, more call settings, which includes:
- Silent (no vibrate)
- Vibrate only
- Do not disturb

Visual indicator that the call is in speaker mode

7

Cosmo Communicator - CoDi / Unresponsive and Black Front Cover Display

« on: November 29, 2019, 02:43:47 pm »

Unexpectedly, the external display went black and became unresponsive. This occurred after I decreased the brightness level and a few hours passed.

Expectedly, the external screen initially turned off.  However, after the Cosmo was off for a few hours, I pushed the left toggle button and the external display was still dimmed but expectedly showed the 8 circular app icons. I could not get the external display to return to show the time, date, etc.

I then opened the Cosmo and Android was working fine. I then closed Android and the external screen was black and the two LEDs in the toggle switch on the front cover were a solid red (not blinking). Pushing the toggle switch buttons or the silver colored button on top of the Cosmo did nothing.

After rebooting the Cosmo, the front cover external display worked as expected.

8

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / First Impression (72 hour)

« on: November 28, 2019, 07:35:04 am »

However, the lack of a way to control the backlight from the keyboard is really annoying (even a simple on/off toggle key would be helpful).

I was under the impression that Fn + Shift + B or N (or whatever letters changes screen brightness in any particular keyboard layout) would increase or decrease the keyboard brightness. I've seen it demoed in videos from Planet.

On the same note, I was under the impression that Fn + Shift + C or V (or whatever letters changes sound volume) would increase or decrease the DPI setting for the screen, to work as kind of a zoom feature. Did these features not make it into production?

Hi - Yes, these keystrokes/features did make it int the unit I received.

Cheers!

9

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Poor battery life

« on: November 28, 2019, 01:36:05 am »

Do you have the two blue LEDs next to the fingerprint sensor permanently on drhood?

Hello - The two blue LEDs next to the fingerprint sensor are not permanently on. I notice these lights are on and blinking when playing media (e.g., a song).

10

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Poor battery life

« on: November 26, 2019, 08:09:45 pm »

This is an important topic, and will contribute what I have been experiencing so far.

I too experience short battery life when I first received the Cosmo Communicator. The Cosmo battery was seemingly full when I first turned it on, which was strange to receive a mobile with so much battery initially. I let it drain down to 4%, which was not long, and charged it up using the USB-C (quick charging) next to the headphone input. The Cosmo charged up to 100% really quick, like in less than 2 hours. However, the battery charge declined 30% after 3 to 4 hours of no use. I then charged it using the other USB-C (regular charging), which took longer and I left it charging after it got to 100%.

Note: One initial issue I had initially with the Cosmo that might have drained power was a constantly on purple Wireless LED on the front cover above the 24mp camera.

After resolving the constantly on purple LED and charging the Cosmo using the regular charging USB-C for an hour or two beyond when it first reached 100%, I am pleased to report that today, the Cosmo battery was at 50% after ~18 hours of occasional use throughout the day (battery saver was not used), indicating that the battery can last more than a day. I am not as concerned about the Cosmo battery life after today. However, I am planning on not charging the Cosmo during the night tonight and see how long this current battery charge will last.

Tomorrow will be more heavy use as I will be traveling by train (approximately 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening) during which I will be using cellular data frequently, listening to podcasts, sending SMS, and an occasional phone call. I will be pleased if the remaining charge on this battery (currently 50%) will last through the night, during the commute tomorrow morning of moderately heavy use, and not recharging until mid-morning or mid-day tomorrow (a total of 36 hours on a single charge). If this can be achieved, then perhaps

Note: Others in this forum may not so pleased with 50% usage after ~18 hours, and may expect greater battery life.

I am wondering whether which of the following factors has a greater impact on obtaining a full charge versus consuming the battery.

• Specific USB-C port is used for charging
• Duration of the charging period
• Enabling/disabling wifi, bluetooth, and cellular data when needed vs not needed
• Extent to which the Cosmo is used (light, moderate, versus heavy)

Cheers!

11

Cosmo Communicator - Android / Is the LEDison useful to Cosmo Communicator owners?

« on: November 25, 2019, 08:35:35 pm »

Hi All,

I see the Planet Computers LEDison app installed on the Cosmo Communicator. It seems to be an app best suited for the Gemini PDA because it does not have the front display panel. I am curious to know if the LEDIson is useful for Cosmo Communicator owners and any information that could explain how to best use this utility on the Cosmo.

Cheers!

12

Cosmo Communicator - Android / Odd Behavior Thread

« on: November 25, 2019, 08:29:13 pm »

Built-in camera app is terrible.  Very basic controls, really bad JPEG compression.  On the plus side the camera is actually quite good if you use e.g. OpenCamera.  Only issue there is that RAW doesn't seem to work but 90%+ JPEG quality gives good results.  I came from a Samsung S8+ and that phone (indeed, most devices) apply color-popping filters when they take pics, so if you want your pics to come out like other devices, you'll have to do the same.  OpenCamera works really well on the Cosmo though.

Totally agree. I made OpenCamera my default camera. It works much better. It is somewhat fiddly if you want anything but the defaults, but takes good photos, and has lots of options once you enable API2. I prefer the more natural photos - it is easier to work with the original rather than a "popped" image.

Great posts NorMonkey and vader! I will have to try OpenCamera. Will have to add it to the 'Cosmo Community Recommended Android 9 Apps' list, if it gets created.

Cheers!

13

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Purple LED above the camer was constantly on until...

« on: November 25, 2019, 08:19:06 pm »

For the first couple of days with the Cosmo Communicator, the purple LED above the camera was constantly on. The quick start guide says this LED light is a 'Wireless Indicator LED'. Additional details on when this LED comes on/off is not described in the guide.

The purple Wireless Indicator LED went off after I figured out how to get T-Mobile (US) Mobile Data working. Apparently, the inability of not having Mobile Data working was causing the purple Wireless Indicator LED to be on constantly. The Mobile Data option in the Android settings was greyed out and unresponsive when tapping on it.

So, what did I do to get my T-Mobile Mobile Data working? I consulted with a T-Mobile representative who directed me to the following BYOD T-Mobile data and APN Settings webpage.

After locating the Access Point Names setting in Android 9, the APN settings matched to what is on the T-Mobile webpage except APN Type and APN Protocol. After changing the APN Type to default,supl,mms and APN Protocol to IPv4/IPv6, I was able to turn on Mobile Data in the Android settings. It was then I noticed that the purple Wireless Indicator LED above the camera on the Cosmo was off.

Perhaps the Wireless Indicator LED warns the phone user/owner when cellular data is no longer available?

Note: It seems enabling/disablabling wifi has no effect on the Wireless Indicator LED.

Cheers!

14

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Front Display Panel (small tip)

« on: November 25, 2019, 07:55:28 pm »

I do  not know -- I just tried after reading your post: it worked for me touching at any imaginary clock position.

But I think yesterday I was somewhat frustrated with touch sensitivity of front panel. I would not say I already get used to it either - I had the device just for one day, and have note used much external screen yet.

That is good to know. My experience seems to be a bit different from yours. If I touch anywhere other than the 7PM on the circular icon, it won't launch. The issue is most noticeable with the phone icon.

Cheers!

15

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / First Impression (72 hour)

« on: November 24, 2019, 10:04:05 pm »

For those considering of purchasing a Cosmo, below are some first impressions. I don't cover negatives or what could be improved. I will post negatives and potential improvements in a future post. I am a former owner/user of a Palm Pre and Nokia n900. My current phone is a Blackberry Priv. Thus, I am a fan of physical keyboards. I purchased the Cosmo because of the keyboard and potential to install SailfishOS/Debian on it.

First Looks
When the Cosmo first arrived, I did not turn it on. Instead, I took it to work and showed it to others to get their impressions of the Cosmo. Everyone who saw the Cosmo was impressed with its build quality and weight. The weight give the device a nice feel. Many gave the Cosmo a thumbs up for its sleek look. I say sleek because nobody said that it looked thick. It is definitely thinner than what I was expecting. The black and dark gray go well and the Cosmo looks sophisticated IMHO. Of course, others are free to disagree. The metal body helps to make the device feel solid and high quality. Opening the Cosmo takes force, but nobody said it was too much force. Everyone was curious what the Cosmo is like when turned on.

Note: The Cosmo I received did not have scratches on the front or back.

First Impression
After I got the Cosmo set up with my Google account and imported my data (files, music, photos) from my previous phone, I was left with getting to know the Cosmo. At first, the Cosmo did feel strange to use because I was not used to such a large keyboard and holding a phone horizontally. The last time I used a horizontal phone was a Nokia n900 (ugh, I loved that phone!), which was approximately 6+ years ago. Although using the Cosmo keyboard is not required, I could not use the same swipes I use on my Priv with the Cosmo because (a) Blackberry customized the Android home screen with unique gestures that I learned and used every day and (2) going to a horizontal screen felt more foreign than I was expecting where the usability of the Priv did not transfer to the Cosmo. Besides, the keyboard is so large on the Cosmo, it is a waste not to use it.

Thus, I spent quite a bit of time learning as much of the Cosmo keyboard features/functions I could. The keyboard is not quite big enough to comfortably touch type with all four/five fingers with two hands like I do on a normal keyboard. The Cosmo is small enough that holding the Cosmo and typing with two thumbs is not an issue (i.e., doable/comfortable). When setting the Cosmo down and typing with two hands, typing with two or three fingers and a thumb is comfortable.

For me, the biggest reason I do not type fast on the Cosmo keyboard is due to not knowing all of the locations of the letters, punctuation marks, etc. The Cosmo keyboard is small enough to put a few keys in unfamiliar places (e.g., comma). I am confident I will become faster typing on the Cosmo as I get used to it.

Despite not being fast typing on the Cosmo, I am liking it quite a lot already. Planet Computers has put a lot of functionality into it. Using the keyboard makes me feel like touching the screen is unnecessary for many things. For example, I love pressing the Fn+A key followed by the Tab and Del keys to close out open applications. Things I prefer to do using the keyboard compared to touching the screen include:

• Closing out open apps (used most often)
• Displaying the Home screen
• Launching the Phone/dialing app
• Launching the Settings app

Initially, the Front Panel Display (FPD) is a very screen but the functionality of the FPD was underwhelming. This was because I was using the FPD mostly to unlock the Cosmo. It was not until I left the house for the first time and made a call with the FPD. Wow! How convenient it is to use the FPD to make a call. Planet Computers has worked hard to make it easy for users to find a number and call it. The glass on the FPD feels very smooth and solid. The FPD does not feels high quality. I am very impressed with the FPD precision (i.e., distinguish between small text) it can respond to an input. I am no expert in this matter, so my thoughts are not based on facts, just impression by a lay person.

My initial impression of Android 9 was not a 'Wow' due to (a) being unfamiliar with Android 9 and ( lack of customized home screen and the Planet Computers App Bar. After I installed my favorite apps and configured the Home screen and App Bar to my liking, the Cosmo really feels like a device that will be useful to me.  

What I Like so far

• The keyboard!
• The build quality!
• Making calls with the front panel display
• The Notes App - sorting by most recently updated and searching are fantastic!
• The Agenda App - what a great looking and highly functional app!

Summary
My first impression unexpected and positive. I am glad to have backed this project.

First Look - "This device looks cool!"
First Impression of Usability - "I need to learn how to use the keyboard and front panel display to maximize its potential (I like learning new things!)"
Initial Impression - "This device is cool and I think I am going to like using it!"

Thanks Planet Computers for making this device. It is a good effort and I hope you continue to support the Cosmo post launch with software updates and other software enhancements.