Tedd's Droid Tools: AWESOME!!!

[PowerPlayGraphix]

One of my few qualms with the Droid since I got it the week they released was the lack of a physical answer button. Having to slide to answer all the time annoyed me, especially when I was driving. Half the time, it wouldn't register my touch and I'd miss the call while I tried to clean the screen to make it register. I thought the camera button would be a great button to double-task to act as a call answer button and thankfully so did Tedd (whoever he is). He wrote an app that's on the Market that does just that. When the phone rings, hit the camera button, it answers. AWESOME!!!! I installed it a couple of days ago but today I had to take a trip and spent about 4 hours driving and had several calls and didn't have to look at my phone to answer it once. Reach down, hit the camera button and it worked as perfectly.

 

[circsmonky]

i tried this awhile back, and another app that did the same thing. i didnt want camera button for answer as i might bump it. the onscreen answer buttons almost never showed up with either app.

 

[takeshi]

A headset or BT handsfree kit would also be a good solution -- particularly since you specifically mention driving.

 

[PowerPlayGraphix]

The BT headset I have sometimes answers and sometimes doesn't but this answered every time. ALSO, I've noticed ever since I had this phone but especially since it's gotten hot and there has been extra oil on my fingers from sweating, that the slide to answer is very erratic and I have missed many calls because it just did not want to register the slide, even when I could look at it and take my time trying to slide it. Also, I work with inks, adhesives and other things that make touching the screen difficult if I'm in the middle of something at work. Now I can answer it without worrying about my screen.

Great thing about Android, if you have a problem, someone probably will write an app that solves it.

 

[Droid_2010]

Do you guys know of any app that lets you turn the screen on AND off with the camera button? My current app and many others let you turn on the screen with the camera button, but I still have to use the top button to turn off the screen.

 

[jsh1120]

Do you guys know of any app that lets you turn the screen on AND off with the camera button? My current app and many others let you turn on the screen with the camera button, but I still have to use the top button to turn off the screen.

Unless you want to lose the functionality of the camera, it's difficult to imagine how an app would take over the camera button's functionality to turn OFF the phone.

 

[christim]

My camera button will answer the phone if it is awake. If the phone is in sleep mode I don't even hear the phone ringing. Good idea and it is still beta. I know this was a pet peeve for a few that they had no hard button where they could figure out how to answer the phone without looking at it.

 

[Droid_2010]

Do you guys know of any app that lets you turn the screen on AND off with the camera button? My current app and many others let you turn on the screen with the camera button, but I still have to use the top button to turn off the screen.

Unless you want to lose the functionality of the camera, it's difficult to imagine how an app would take over the camera button's functionality to turn OFF the phone.

I've taken tons of photos and videos and have never used the "camera button". I always use the button on the screen to take the photo or video.

There are quite a few apps out there that disable screen lock and in the process the camera and volume buttons will turn the screen on. I use an application called "No Lock" and when its enabled the camera button will turn on the screen, but won't turn it back off. I don't want the camera button to Turn the device completely off, just turn the screen back off. I sent a message to the Developer of No Lock and he said he didn't know of a way to do it, but I'm wondering if he was just referring to programming for a stock droids without root.(which is what his app is for)

I'm curious if it could be done for rooted droids.

 

[velocity92c]

Is this thread serious? I have never, not once had the slide to answer fail on me. After about two weeks of using my phone I could do it without looking and still not miss a call. That, however, is pointless because if you don't look you can't see who's calling. You can't tell me you answer every single call that comes into your phone every time?

 

[PARick]

I have tried it, and pretty much like it. The only problem is make sure you keep your screen locked. I have inadvertantly called my last dialed number numerous times!

 

[jsh1120]

Is this thread serious? I have never, not once had the slide to answer fail on me. After about two weeks of using my phone I could do it without looking and still not miss a call. That, however, is pointless because if you don't look you can't see who's calling. You can't tell me you answer every single call that comes into your phone every time?

Yes, it's serious. There are widespread reports (my wife's and my droid among them) of the slide functionality on the answer screen not responding.

The problem is intermittent and I don't think it has to do with the lockscreen per se. My guess is that it happens when the o/s is subject to other application demands and cannot respond promptly to the slide action. Furthermore, I believe the problem is made worse by repeatedly swiping the lockscreen; that only seems to make the demand on the o/s even worse.

Tedd's Phone Tools and myLock Phone Tools each provide an alternative in the form of a push button over the lockscreen. Each seems to improve the situation, but I haven't found either to be 100% reliable.

Best advice, I think, is not to be too anxious to answer a call. Let it ring, count to three (or five) and then push the button (or swipe the lockscreen.) That seems to (mostly) eliminate the problem.