LED Notification timeout?

[elmoglick]

I've got my Hero configured to do LED notifications for all my notifications. It seems to be working properly - the LED flashes when I get email, SMS, alerts, etc... but I've noticed that the flashing seems to arbitrarily stop sometimes; without any intervention on my part. I can't find any pattern to this anomaly - sometimes it stops flashing after 5 minutes, sometimes 30 or more. Other times it keeps flashing indefinitely until I check the notifications, which is what I had assumed to be the intended behavior.

I'm not running any goofy task killers or notification utilities - just pretty much a stock Hero. Are there any activities that the phone performs that would pre-empt or interrupt the LED flash notification once it has initiated? Or have I run across yet another firmware bug?

 

[erjent]

I've got the same issue. There is no consistency on how long the light flashes. Mine definitely stops all flashing before 30 minutes. No weird programs or anything. Tried turning off all notifications with a soft reset and the light still blinked when I had missed calls. Turned all notifications back on and the same as before. Even tried a hard reset...no luck.

One of the reasons I love this phone. You don't have to activate the screen to see missed notifications.

Guess that doesn't work either...back to obsessively checking.

I put in an email to HTC and we'll see what they say!

 

[elmoglick]

I'm wondering if the LED flashing turns off if a subsequent mailcheck finds nothing new?

 

[erjent]

According to the manual (p 7/8) the light should flash with a pending notification. I would take that as flash until user cleared. (no matter how long you leave them in the status bar)

I think you're correct with the firmware problem. Just another bug of a new phone.

 

[JoeC]

I'm pretty sure that the notification LED stops after 5 minutes or so. That's what mine has always done. I wish it continued indefinitely, though.

 

[camdz]

I get emails throughout the night, and wake up EVERY morning to my LED flashing. I like it this way. Many times this light would have had to be flashing for hours. Mine doesnt appear to be timing out.

 

[erjent]

just got this back from HTC...


Thank you for your inquiry about your Sprint Hero. I understand the importance of receiving all of your notifications. I will be more than happy to address this for you. The device operating system is programmed to blink for 5 minutes when it receives a notification or until the notification is cleared, whichever comes first. As this is programmed into the operating system, there is not a setting that we can alter to change the duration of this notification. I do apologize for any inconvenience that you may have experienced.


anyone interested in trying to get them to change this? i'd love the infinite flash like a blackberry.

 

[Deleted User]

Yeah, mine only blinks for 5 minutes as well. This needs to be changed. The whole point of the LED is so that if you're away from you phone for a period of time (almost always longer then 5 minutes) you'll know if you missed something without having to turn on the screen. Maybe someone could write an app that would change this behavior?

EDIT: I don't believe the person who wrote that email response knows what he/she is talking about. The device OS is Android. My G1's (also an Android phone) LED would blink until I checked the message. HTC must have done something to the Hero to make it go off after 5 minutes.

 

[heero884]

Is there a tweak or anything for this? One of the main things I look for in a phone is a notification light and it sucks that this one is essentially broken..

 

[dan330]

I wan to know too..

bump

 

[mlblack16]

Sadly, I've read this is a hardware documentation, or I should say lack thereof.

None of the apps in the market will control timing, color, etc of the led indicator. I haven't heard or read if this has been fixed in any of the custom ROMs? If someone could make an app for this, I'd gladly pay for it, because I agree with the others regarding the use and sensibility if having an indicator which doesn't flash long enough to serve the purpose. If I'm in a meeting, I'll put my phone on silent (vibrate really is just annoying to people as the ringtone) and I can look down periodically for the flashing light so I guess it does help for that, but otherwise, if I'm without my phone, it's almost ALWAYS longer than 5 minutes.

 

[jeffreynothing43]

mine consistently stops at 5 minutes. i can deal with that i guess...if i'm away from my phone longer than that i'd typically check it anyhow. also, i mainly use the light for sitting at my desk. i keep the phone on silent (no vibrate) and am able to tell when i get a notification with no coworkers being the wiser. lol

 

[Rube8514]

so i am guessing the Hero isnt able to have the different color LED notifications? they shouldn't have the option if we cant use it.

 

[Xandria]

One of the reasons I love this phone. You don't have to activate the screen to see missed notifications.

Guess that doesn't work either...back to obsessively checking.

I also wish the LED blinked until I checked it, even if that means blinking for hours. I hate having to grab my phone and checking it every time I walk back into the room.

 

[eyebeam]

For texts, at least, you could use Handcent. It has a setting to enable and change both a number of and interval between reminder notifications. Not quite a solution, but it does make notifications noticeable for a longer amount of time.