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I've owned 2 gps's for my car over the last 4 years. Both have had intuitive night modes... In that they turn to an inverted color scheme, or dark color scheme to ease night viewing and reduce hindrance while driving.
Currently while using google map navigation at night there is no night mode. It just blasts you in the face!..... There is an ISSUE on Google Code I'd like to ask you to 'star' up. This is basic functionality that shouldn't have been overlooked and hinders driving. There is are also mentions on Google Product Ideas. Be sure to add a 'check' there!
As always I like to bring more people to google code issues on Androind and increase the user feedback directly to the source!
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Been playing a little bit and for a short term work around for maps driving:
-log into google maps web. go to mymaps and create one called dark. create a big box
around your city/region. fill it black, set opacity to your liking. Then you can load
it as a layer on andriod gmaps.
-!!doesn't work for navigation mode... only for normal map mode.
-!!causes initial zoom out to the entire boxed area, but you can zoom back in and enjoy
a much dimmer gmaps for night driving.
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Any ideas?
Thanks for you time!
Last edited by BottledHate; December 6th, 2009 at 02:43 AM.
Reason: http://www.productideas.appspot.com/#9/e=cf&t=night+mode
This is a must....also the multimedia docking mode clock is too bright at night even on dim settings. I have contacted Motorola about this.
i've been bugging the makers of 'locale' (Locale for Android) to add in 'Car Dock' and 'Media Dock' conditions. If you use 'Locale' then please bug them as well at: Locale Feedback to add in conditions for 'Car Dock' and 'Media Dock'.
This would allow you to dim the screen when docked during certain time spans, or not, with a few other variables (ie: late at night while sleeping, and not other times.)..... 'Locale' is sweet. I wish alot of apps i have were locale plugin compatible.
This is a must....also the multimedia docking mode clock is too bright at night even on dim settings. I have contacted Motorola about this.
i should have mentioned this more... but with 'locale' you can set the screen to be very dim during the night hours no matter what...... that issue can be met now. this thread is more regarding google maps and google navigation and night driving... hope this helps!
that widget is handy i use it for bluetooth and wifi the most.....
is it really handy though to have to toggle that on and off for night driving? i'm jsut saying such functionality should be built into the navigation at the least, if not maps.... not just dimming either. a whole inverted/dark theme for the map.
Last edited by BottledHate; December 5th, 2009 at 03:19 AM.
So am I the only one who DOESN'T have this problem???
I have my screen set to auto brightness, and at night the screen is dim enough to not bother me. And my eyes have been pretty light sensitive since I got Lasik.
So am I the only one who DOESN'T have this problem???
I have my screen set to auto brightness, and at night the screen is dim enough to not bother me. And my eyes have been pretty light sensitive since I got Lasik.
i'll have to play with that option... wouldn't you still like to have an option for an inverted or darker color scheme on google maps like every other gps does?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BottledHate
i'll have to play with that option... wouldn't you still like to have an option for an inverted or darker color scheme on google maps like every other gps does?
You do realize that the NAV is a free "beta" version right?
You do realize that the NAV is a free "beta" version right?
I don't give two shits if it's in Beta or not. How many years was Gmail in "Beta" Google has MANY many tools/utilities that are in Beta. FWIW if Verizon wasn't confident in Google's Beta capabilities they should have included a different nav system (though I love it).
Moving on, This is something that has ALWAYS bugged me about GPS manufacturers.
Sunrise and Sunset timetables are a KNOWN dataset. Why is it so difficult for manfacturers to do on the very least a timer with a start/stop that:
a) dims the screen to its dimmest setting, which on my TomTom wasn't dim enough for me
b) toggles a map view that's night vision friendly w/ muted colors.
On the high end it wouldn't take that much work to have the phone use its location to lookup sunrise/sunset, and switch to a night view based on so much time past sunset, and switch to daylight view so many minutes prior to sunrise. Hell even a crude lookup table stating "between x & y longitude" then switch on/off @ this time.
I was really disappointed in my TomTom for not having an auto-switch to night-view based on a timer. Glad to know I can do auto-dim w/ Locale!
i wish they would have conditions for car dock and media dock... that would make things much easier.... as it is now i have a night mode option i turn on and off as needed. with a dock condition.... [while in car dock... from 6pm-bleh.... ]--->[Dim dis b****]. done. set it and forget it! ha
i'll have to play with that option... wouldn't you still like to have an option for an inverted or darker color scheme on google maps like every other gps does?
Sure, options are great, I just wanna make sure we're talking about the same thing when people call the screen "blinding".
[off topic rant about locale re: Car Dock and Media Dock conditions]
it would be sooo simple and small i imagine to make a plugin to do that for locale... all it has to do is read two magnetic sensors and notify locale... sdk's are availible for both, but i don't have time to learn that right now. it is something i want to do tho! i have plenty of programming experience. next year.........
Sure, options are great, I just wanna make sure we're talking about the same thing when people call the screen "blinding".
for me i notice in that if i glance at the gps for a sec then back at the road my night vision is hindered for a short time. i also notice in my mirror how lit up my face is from the thing.
i probably could dim the screen more. i would also like to have a night driving mode/ color scheme/ ect. option availible.
Last edited by BottledHate; December 5th, 2009 at 11:03 PM.
Yes, I do understand that it is bothering you, I just wanna be sure that it is bothering you with auto-brightness (which is the built-in feature to dim the screen at night).
Also until you get a fix, you could try using "satellite view" (to me, that's generally less bright than the standard view)
Last edited by rawness; December 5th, 2009 at 11:11 PM.
Yes, I do understand that it is bothering you, I just wanna be sure that it is bothering you with auto-brightness (which is the built-in feature to dim the screen at night).
Also until you get a fix, you could try using "satellite view" (to me, that's generally less bright than the standard view)
yes.. it does bug me even with the screen at its dimmest.
Yes, I do understand that it is bothering you, I just wanna be sure that it is bothering you with auto-brightness (which is the built-in feature to dim the screen at night).
Also until you get a fix, you could try using "satellite view" (to me, that's generally less bright than the standard view)
White is white, no matter how bright the screen is. It's still going to be a severe contrast to the darker world outside the car and cause some potentially dangerous image retention on the retinas.
Yes, I do understand that it is bothering you, I just wanna be sure that it is bothering you with auto-brightness (which is the built-in feature to dim the screen at night).
Also until you get a fix, you could try using "satellite view" (to me, that's generally less bright than the standard view)
That's what I do - but the basic BG is still white, as opposed to reversing colors. On the Infiniti M35 w/ Nav, for example, it senses daylight (for the head lamps) and also sends that to the NAV system - at night time / darkness, the 2 primary colors, white and black, are reversed, leaving hte others the same (roadways, colored signs, etc). This would be the perfect solution for the Nav built into the DROID.
I do use Satellite right now as a compensation - but it is still a light colored BG that is causing the issue here....even auto brightness cannot fix that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BottledHate
yes.. it does bug me even with the screen at its dimmest.
i'd like to see something like this:
(Garmin)
night mode...
Day mode:
The Nav on the Infiniti does much the same (but it looks better haha! :P) - that would work well in dark situations....
If they were to add the feature it could use the phone light sensor to easily achieve this effect....
Quote:
Originally Posted by JRSly
White is white, no matter how bright the screen is. It's still going to be a severe contrast to the darker world outside the car and cause some potentially dangerous image retention on the retinas.
Hence the reversal of he white and black pixels. Trust me, take a test drive of the Infiniti M with NAV at night (or close to night and cover up the light sensors). It makes a *huge* difference.
The Nav on the Infiniti does much the same (but it looks better haha! :P) - that would work well in dark situations....
i love the map look feel of google maps. the garmin images do look like poop! i just grabbed some random screens off image search for reference.
WOW!
i star'd this ISSUE on google code a few weeks ago but it really never caught a lot of attention(maybe 5 stars in a week). Since this thread has started (just over 24 hours) it has gone from 28 to 82 stars!!! the power of Android Forums!
I added my star to the issue as well - only 6 comments though....
The other two you posted about had well over 100 comments each....
it's said that you don't want to comment there unless you have relevant information to add to the issue... the regulars there say it dilutes the issue.
i made the mistake when i first found the page with a bunch of "me tooo" style posts and i've deleted them since.
Last edited by BottledHate; December 6th, 2009 at 02:11 AM.
Hey everyone... as long as I'm bringing up 'ISSUES'. I should also point out the Google Product Ideas page. It has several 'ideas' started regarding night mode.
I still feel this is much more an ISSUE than a product idea, but please check out both!
Hence the reversal of he white and black pixels. Trust me, take a test drive of the Infiniti M with NAV at night (or close to night and cover up the light sensors). It makes a *huge* difference.
Yeah, I have a GPS unit with Night Mode. I was just explaining why it's not a simple matter of adjusting the brightness of the Droid screen.
Last edited by JRSly; December 6th, 2009 at 03:15 PM.
i don't give two shits if it's in beta or not. How many years was gmail in "beta" google has many many tools/utilities that are in beta. Fwiw if verizon wasn't confident in google's beta capabilities they should have included a different nav system (though i love it).
Moving on, this is something that has always bugged me about gps manufacturers.
Sunrise and sunset timetables are a known dataset. Why is it so difficult for manfacturers to do on the very least a timer with a start/stop that:
A) dims the screen to its dimmest setting, which on my tomtom wasn't dim enough for me
b) toggles a map view that's night vision friendly w/ muted colors.
On the high end it wouldn't take that much work to have the phone use its location to lookup sunrise/sunset, and switch to a night view based on so much time past sunset, and switch to daylight view so many minutes prior to sunrise. Hell even a crude lookup table stating "between x & y longitude" then switch on/off @ this time.
I was really disappointed in my tomtom for not having an auto-switch to night-view based on a timer. Glad to know i can do auto-dim w/ locale!
just have your phone screen dim at night. or autoset your brightness. not to hard.
.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JRSly
White is white, no matter how bright the screen is. It's still going to be a severe contrast to the darker world outside the car and cause some potentially dangerous image retention on the retinas.
White is white, no matter how bright the screen is. It's still going to be a severe contrast to the darker world outside the car and cause some potentially dangerous image retention on the retinas.
I'm glad someone understands the issue. If dim white light was the easiest on the human eye then the military would simply use low power white illumination; instead they use red. There's a reason for that and it's backed up by extensive research.
Night Driving Mode? -another crusade
... it is definitely for all of us!
