Messages

31

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Firmware update

« on: January 24, 2020, 11:41:03 am »

> I downloaded a few compass apps and tried them. It seems like the compass is enabled, but all over the place due to the magnets in the shell. So I'd say pretty useless... That's presumably why they turned it off on the Gemini.

In Google Maps my orientation is pretty accurate.

I also installed the "GPS Status and Toolbox" app which shows not only GPS but also compass, light level, and other sensor data.  Its heading is accurate too.  This is one of the apps that does have a calibration tool.  Instead of Google Maps' 3D figure-8 manoeuvre, this one just asks you to rotate the compass around each axis a couple of times.  I suspect Google's manoeuvre accomplishes pretty much the same thing in a more stylish way.

As you say, when I look at the raw sensor data in AndroSensor or MySensors it doesn't easily map to anything my brain recognizes.  I wonder if this has more to do with the way the 3-axis magnetometer is oriented inside the device and the way I'm holding it in (although GPSStatus also has a good mechanism for showing level via the accelerometer, and it appears "level" is aligned to the upper half of the device.  I assume the magnetometer is on the same PCB if not in the same component ... I suspect the gyrometer, magnetometer and accelerometer are all on one component).  

Since both Google Maps and GPSStatus are giving pretty good data, they are either compensating for the case magnets automatically or the case magnets aren't really a factor.

32

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Firmware update

« on: January 23, 2020, 03:47:49 pm »

> Nor was I aware of the OruxMaps app. I'll explore that if I can't use Google Maps effectively.

Off-topic, OruxMaps is good for hiking and such, as it is designed for offline, has a bunch of different map sources available including terrain ones, and you can even DIY make maps from e.g. paper if you're crazy enough.

In this context I suggested it just as a way to see what the GPS is doing without any of that lock-you-to-nearest-road/path behaviour that Google Maps and Waze do.


> Again, I appreciate the time you took,

I'm glad I was able to contribute and give back something here.

33

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Firmware update

« on: January 23, 2020, 12:56:42 pm »

>> Mine works, although it seems to need calibration <<  Could you explain how one goes about calibrating?

As a gps, the Cosmo is useless so far, if not a little dangerous. Not only does it suddenly decide that it's on a different road, but it will often freeze.

I'll try Google Maps and see if that's any better, though I like the police and speed monitoring of Waze.

I'm actually not sure about compass calibration, as I've never had consistent success with this (on any Android device I've owned).

Some sensor apps have a calibrator function but I'm not sure if it applies globally or is just local to the app.

Google Maps recommends some sort of 3-D figure-8 movement so that it sees how all the axes of the magnetometer vary but I've never gotten that to work well.


I have a couple of sensor apps (AndroSensor, My Sensors) that show the magnetometer and Google Maps uses compass -- it can orient the map to your direction, and there is the blue arc thing as well.  
NOTE if you are moving well enough for GPS to detect your orientation by your direction of movement, Google Maps uses that instead of the compass.

My experience with the GPS so far has been fine, though I've only used Google Maps to check it, and only a few times while walking and driving.

Both Google Maps and Waze (it seems; I've not used this app) seem to "lock" you to the nearest path.  This sounds like what your Waze is doing when it suddenly decides you're on a different road.

It might be worth trying your GPS in another mapping app like OruxMaps which doesn't do that.  It just draws whatever map you choose to download as image data and then draws your track overtop without any of those underlying smarts that Google Maps and Waze are doing.

34

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Firmware update

« on: January 22, 2020, 02:32:45 pm »

Haven't played yet with the Map option, but I am having trouble with Waze flipping out and suddenly thinking I'm on a different road ("In 500 feet, hang a U-turn" when I'm on a ring road). Can't tell if that's Waze, the C's GPS, or T-Mobile. But I did not have these issues with the Gemini/Waze/T-Mobile.

I wonder if it is related to the compass being disabled? I have wondered how good navigation is on the Cosmo with no inbuilt compass...

Compass is disabled?

Mine works, although it seems to need calibration.

35

Cosmo Communicator - Android / Mobile data

« on: January 22, 2020, 02:18:59 pm »

Ok worked it out.  UI is very bad, and default settings (that you can't seem to access right now) have the second/eSIM as the data sim!

Turning mobile data off, then on again, and say "Yes please change the SIM used" fixed it.

Though my thoughts on this device are a little soured as my "S" key keeps getting stuck and the "C" key is not very responsive

The stuck keys were a problem on the Gemini as well. A quick fix if you're bold enough is to carefully pry the key cap out, and stick a tiny bit of sponge (a corner off a kitchen sponge will do) underneath.

Also a quick note to say that the stuck keys do tend to work better over time as the keys break in.

36

Cosmo Communicator - CoDi / Cover Display Subforum?

« on: January 21, 2020, 10:36:33 am »

I seem to recall from one of the videos that PC intends to release some API access to CoDi, presumably so that the linux community can take advantage of it.

I suspect that's much of the reason why they went with FreeRTOS on STM32 instead of a more low-level interface.  Makes it easier for the linux community to interface with it, which makes it easier for PC to support the linux community and not have to build and manage drivers.

37

Cosmo Communicator - General Discussion / Hidden Wifi SSID

« on: January 21, 2020, 10:22:29 am »

Anyone having trouble connecting to hidden wifi networks? Mine won't connect until I make the SSID visible, then it immediately disconnects when I hide the SSID again. Never had this problem with the Gemini.

My home one is always hidden.  I had no difficulty setting it up when my Cosmo first arrived and it continues to work fine to this day.

38

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Loose hinge

« on: January 09, 2020, 10:52:37 am »

From my experience the hinge of the Cosmo is much more sturdy than the Hinge of the Gemini (At least with my devices). I would say the Hinge of the Cosmo is perfect. The screen nearly does not move when shaking the Cosmo around. With the Gemini I can easily close the device just by shaking it around. This is not possible with the Cosmo (with reasonable force).

My Cosmo screen flops a fair bit, but not as bad as you describe for your Gemini hinge.  I can close the Cosmo with a determined flick, but not accidentally.
(normally I close it quite gently, though ... I'm treating it delicately since it would be a real pain to get another Cosmo if I break this one, and it's my daily (only) phone)

I suspect that the factory QC tolerance for hinge tightness isn't very strict.  I imagine there are many Cosmos that are sturdy out of the box, and some that are more floppy like mine.

39

Cosmo Communicator - Android / Why are apps suddenly rotating?

« on: January 08, 2020, 01:46:16 pm »

In the last few days suddenly apps such as RingGo and Google Calendar will flip to "portrait" view at times (the phone has not been rotated) - any idea what has caused this change?

Hmm.  I have been using the "Force Rotate" option via the Planet App Bar.
It seems to remember orientation on a per-app basis.  I use just about every app in landscape mode except for just a couple which only work well in portrait.  When I use those couple, somehow Force Rotate seems to remember and those ones rotate to Portrait while others stay in Landscape.


However, for the last few days one of my portrait apps, Weather Underground, consistently flips to Portrait and I have to put it back to Landscape every time I open it.  Before, it used to remember.

I don't know what has changed.

40

Cosmo Communicator - Hardware / Auto-rotate.

« on: January 07, 2020, 09:18:32 am »

I'm looking into a Cosmo autorotate problem, could someone look in Android settings, Accessibility, and in the Interaction controls section see if there is an Auto-rotate screen setting?

Not there for me:
 [ Invalid Attachment ]

41

Cosmo Communicator - Android / Bluetooth Watches

« on: January 06, 2020, 11:00:47 am »

My Gear S2 watch is not able to answer incoming calls.  It is able to decline, but not answer.
Others have reported that going to Bluetooth settings and then turning the "Phone calls" setting off and then on again will solve this, but mine doesn't have that setting.
Oddly enough, on the main Bluetooth page that lists devices, it shows as currently connected, but when I select it, I have the options "Forget" and "Connect" ... as if it were not connected (even though it is).
Anyone else have this problem?

42

Cosmo Communicator - Linux / Ubuntu with userland

« on: January 06, 2020, 09:28:52 am »

Hi NormMonkey


thanks for your help.

Try for example:
xrandr --dpi 192

This doesnt work: "RandR extension missing" Also in reading the arch-wiki entry, I couldnt find a solution.
Any ideas?

Hmmm, if tweaking the Xresource Xft.dpi doesn't work either, then I don't have anything else off the top of my head.
I think you can tweak Xft.dpi using xrdb temporarily, and set it permanently in .XResources once you have something that works, but I'm just going by old memory so don't quote me on that

43

Cosmo Communicator - Android / Cosmo as bluetooth keyboard

« on: January 06, 2020, 09:19:28 am »

If you can't find a way to do this with Bluetooth, you can do it with VNC.

44

Cosmo Communicator - Android / Termux or UserLand - Linux & LXDE or XFCE

« on: January 03, 2020, 01:14:46 pm »

Now need to do some tweaking and I'm all set.....

- Change Timezone and set time

- Adjust display resolution to be readable

Has changing DPI had any effect?
This article has useful information: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xorg#D...ay_size_and_DPI
Try for example:
xrandr --dpi 192

Note you will need to restart applications so that they notice the change.  
Also note the bit about the optional Xresource Xft.dpi  
You may need to explicitly set this to the same value (e.g. 192)

45

Cosmo Communicator - Linux / Ubuntu with userland

« on: January 03, 2020, 08:58:34 am »

- changing configuration files to correct this fail

Have you tried adjusting the DPI in X?  Most applications (using Qt, GTK, etc.) will respect it.

This article has useful information: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xorg#D...ay_size_and_DPI
Try for example:
xrandr --dpi 192

Note you will need to restart applications so that they notice the change.  
Also note the bit about the optional Xresource Xft.dpi  
You may need to explicitly set this to the same value (e.g. 192)