Messages

91

Gemini PDA - Android / Battery Consumption in Standby

« on: July 02, 2018, 04:15:50 am »

You've got something misbehaving somewhere.  I was testing my Notification app the other night and with 4 LEDs lit continuously I was losing 1% per hour max.  I'm guessing you have tried 'turning it off and back on again'? Have you had a look at the awake graph to see if your device is going in to 'doze' mode or awake all the time?  If the later I would suggest some app or service is keeping it awake.  You can have a look at individual app usage but some trial and error removal of apps you have install might be the only route.

92

Gemini PDA - Android / GeminiLED notification app

« on: July 02, 2018, 02:58:00 am »

I don't compile my own APKs, but if I provided the path to the file name (I'm guessing you would need the com.whatever.whatever), do you think one of you could throw together an apk for me real quick? I would GREATLY appreciate it.

Yes I could do that later for you.  If you PM me the package name, a colour preference from the 7 available, which current one you want to replace and your email address I'll do it later for you.

93

Gemini PDA - Android / GeminiLED notification app

« on: June 30, 2018, 01:15:43 pm »

BTW, I'd recommend not embedding the APK in your git source and instead uploading it as a file on a release tag. git doesn't really like handling binary files.

Found it, thanks for the tip

94

Gemini PDA - Android / GeminiLED notification app

« on: June 30, 2018, 12:32:55 pm »

This is quite interesting and I'm excited for when you add user configuration.

Am I correct in assuming that app/src/main/java/harby/graham/geminiled/GeminiLED.java is the file I'd have to modify if I wanted to customize the applications it listens for and what colour to use?

BTW, I'd recommend not embedding the APK in your git source and instead uploading it as a file on a release tag. git doesn't really like handling binary files.

Yes that is the file to modify, you just need to know part of the package name.

I am completely new to GitHub so apologies. I'm trying to find my way around where stuff is.  I shall look to move, where would I upload the file other than where I have?

95

Gemini PDA - Android / GeminiLED notification app

« on: June 30, 2018, 11:44:42 am »

As discussed in other threads I've been working on a notification app to use the 5 LED on the Gemini.  I have called this app GeminiLED and a version now available for people to try if they wish.  

This first version will light each of the 5 centre LED for notifications colours as follows from left to right:

Viber - magenta
WhatsApp - green
K9 Mail - red
Handcent Next SMS - blue
Dialer (call and missed call) - cyan

NOTE: This app needs access to notifications to work. Select Settings, Apps, Settings (gear wheel), Special access, Notification access slider on for GeminiLED

Due to the (sensible) way Android goes in to a 'doze' mode when the screen is off, I have not been able to implement reliable flashing.  If Planet release develop tools as they have said they are going to then there may be some methods available that I am currently unaware of which will allow me to revisit that. I've done some rudimentary testing and having the LEDs lit continuously does not seem to have any discernible affect on battery life.

The app to LED configuration is hard coded in this version.  User configuration of what LED responds to what app and in what colour is now under development.

The apk is available here

GitHub here

Feedback welcome but please go easy on me, this is the first time I have ever tried to release any of my projects in to the wild!  Hope it works for you.

96

Gemini PDA - Android / Predictive Text in Default Messenger

« on: June 29, 2018, 07:22:38 am »

Huh. So you use SwiftKey on-screen for texting? Or does SwiftKey really let you use the pkb while giving you predictive text, etc?

I'm intrigued since I could never get External Keyboard Helper or Hacker's Keyboard to play nice with the pkb with Gemini Keyboard ticked. And if Gemini Keyboard wasn't ticked (in Virtual Keyboard), my keyboard defaulted to UK setup with no fn capability.

Thank you for the info.

Jake

The SwiftKey uses the physical keyboard but puts a small banner across the bottom of the screen with the predictive text (3) options.  You can have a double height banned to give access to emojis etc.  It plays very nicely with the physical keyboard with the only 2 exceptions I mentioned above.

97

Gemini PDA - Android / Predictive Text in Default Messenger

« on: June 29, 2018, 03:04:39 am »

I think it's tied to the Gemini virtual keyboard which doesn't appear to have a predictive option, but is there a way to use predictive text in the default messenger? Or at least auto capitalize sentence beginnings?

Jake

I'm using SwiftKey which integrates quite well with the Gemini physical key board.  It does the auto capitalisation well and has predictive test.  The only gaps I have found are the emoji and symbols keys don't pull up the selections panels as I would like them to.

98

Gemini PDA - Android / Device encryption not supported?

« on: June 28, 2018, 03:10:51 am »

I also not sure it's encrypted - I am asked for a password after booting, but this differs form my Samsung tablet that explicitly says it's encrypted and like others I can find no option to encrypt in settings.

I am also not sure.  For sure on all previous Android devices I have owned (including 7.1.1 devices) I have been asked during setup if I want to encrypt and there has been an option in (security?) settings to enable or disable encryption.  This is not evident on the Gemini.

99

Gemini PDA - Android / notification LED for missed calls / texts

« on: June 27, 2018, 11:22:48 am »

Just saw the video. Looks like real McCoy. Any chance of a beta release to the hungry public?

Jake

I'm not sure I would call it beta yet (or even alpha) but if I can sort out the randomness of the blink rate late I could probably make it available noting there is still a fair amount to do to make it truly user friendly.....

100

Gemini PDA - Android / notification LED for missed calls / texts

« on: June 27, 2018, 02:38:22 am »

Any chance of you including a blinking led for a missed call? I'd be happy with any color in any placement

I've added one for dialer so should trigger on a call plus inducate missed call.  I've put a short (poor quality) video on the FB group of the app in action.

101

Gemini PDA - Android / notification LED for missed calls / texts

« on: June 26, 2018, 01:20:35 pm »

Planet Computers said in the campaign that the LEDs would be programmable to any notifications, but their stupid LEDison app only allows incoming call programming; total letdown and useless.

I hope they either open the hardware to other programs like LightFlow or deliver on their promise.

I emailed them for info when I started my app and they said they were going to make stuff available to developers soon.  Not sure why it needs a delay, perhaps they are finishing stuff, but the community could be getting on with stuff now while the enthusiasm is new and fresh imho

102

Gemini PDA - Android / notification LED for missed calls / texts

« on: June 26, 2018, 09:15:27 am »

Am I missing some settings about this normal notification LED? Is this feature not implemented yet? This is somewhat of a showstopper for using the device as a phone, especially since checking for missed calls/texts involves opening the clamshell. I hoped that this standard notification feature is present in _addition_ to the central group of LEDs that one can configure to specific callers, for example. Any ideas?

From my tinkering I think the notification LED to the left is only a bi colour LED, red and green, so won't provide the same functionality (colour range) you get on other devices.  

I have started writing an app to use the middle 5 LEDs (and could be expanded to use the right hand one) to provide more useful notifications.  I currently have it set to different LEDs different colours in response to received Viber, WhatsApp, K9 and SMS messages which is proving quite useful.  I'm planning to expand it and provide a UI to allow personal customisation, when time allows, but the implementation of the LED control I have accessed so far only gives 3 bit colour control so has a limited (7 and off) colour range.

103

Gemini PDA - Android / OTA and dual boot

« on: June 22, 2018, 12:27:28 pm »

Trying to install the OTA firmware update and it fails due to partition mismatch.  I guess this is due to me having flashed a dual boot with Linux.  Am I missing something or does this mean if you have dual boot you won't be able to store OTA updates any more?

104

Gemini PDA - Android / ALEDxander - display unique LED patterns on incoming calls

« on: June 22, 2018, 07:32:46 am »

Indulge my ignorance about this thread.

I gather the Gemini's LEDs are meant for eventual configuration to alert one to, say a phone call or text message and whatever.

Currently that functionality is in limbo waiting on PC to complete post-deliveries to backers.

What do you mean by "Luckily Java has reflection, so it is not a problem for third-party utilities."?

Have you made a work-around to get the limbo LEDs functioning as intended?

Thanks.

Ifanafi

When you build an Android app you have to use the Android API. For example the Notification Manager API is documented here: https://developer.android.com/reference/and...ficationManager

When you download the Android SDK it includes a list of every API call. If you try to use a method which is not in the API, your app will not compile.

What Planet have done to make the LEDs work is change the Android Notification manager and add a new method called openLed. You will not find that method in the above documentation. In LEDison they call it like a normal API method:

[div class=\'codetop\']CODE[/div][div class=\'codemain\' style=\'height:200px;white-space:pre;overflow:auto\']
NotificationManager nm = context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
nm.openLed(led, r, g, b, 0)
[/div]

If you try to compile that code with the normal Android SDK it will just generate an error because it does not know about the openLed method.

However, Java has something called reflection, which means that code can inspect itself at run time. This means you can get a list of methods on an object dynamically. We can ask the Notification Manager for the openLed function at run time, without needing the SDK to be aware of it. The following example is equivalent to the above except it will compile in the standard SDK:

[div class=\'codetop\']CODE[/div][div class=\'codemain\' style=\'height:200px;white-space:pre;overflow:auto\']
NotificationManager nm = context.getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
Method method = nm.getClass().getMethod("openLed", int.class, int.class, int.class, int.class, int.class);
method.invoke(nm, led, r, g, b, 0);
[/div]

So using reflection we can call non-standard Planet API additions without needing to have access to their patched version of the SDK.

Inspired by your good work and guidance here, thanks, I've been having a play around with my own notification app.  Do you have any docs/reference for the openLed method?  Not too difficult guessing suggests first argument is the LED number (numbered 1-5 looking at your code) and rgb are the decimals of the hex values.  Is the final argument always a 0?

Thanks in advance

105

Gemini PDA - General Discussion / Do you turn the display off before shutting the case?

« on: June 19, 2018, 04:42:54 am »

Pretty much sums it up in the title. Do you normally switch off (FN+Esc) before closing the case, or do you just close it. I was wondering if any keys could be pressed before the proximity sensor (or whatever is used to detect the case is shut) triggers. I personally always FN+Esc before shutting. When the keys are compressed by the magnets, do they even travel far enough to act like a keypress?

Normally just close with screen on here.