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So I've finally had the chance to play with one of these watches extensively, and I am baffled by ambient mode.
It's not that it still turns off sometimes; that makes perfect sense. What's wrong with it is that it doesn't actually update even when the screen is on.
Test it yourself. Use the default watch face, enable ambient mode, and go in a completely dark room. You can leave the watch still or move it about, just don't let it act as if you're raising your arm and brighten the display.
Watch it for two or three minutes, and you'll notice that even though the screen remains on, it never updates -- the minute hand never moves, and so it doesn't actually show the right time very quickly after it dims. (This is with the official, default watch face, a just-rest watch, the latest firmware installed, and plenty of battery remaining.)
When the screen turns on from a raise or tap in ambient mode, you can actually see the minute hand jump forward several minutes in one go. Even with ambient mode disabled, the watch still turns on automatically with the raise gesture, and it takes no longer to do so than it does in ambient mode.
That implies there is no reason to use it other than vanity. After all, in the brief time before the backlight comes on the watch shows the wrong time, and it doesn't actually show the right time any faster than it would have.
But it's not really a vanity mode either, because except in a very dark place, the dimmed screen is indistinguishable from a powered off one to those standing near you. So you're wasting power, but still look like you have a blank screen on your wrist.
So what, precisely, is the point? It seems to me to add no benefit, just to waste battery. I'm baffled.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk
I played with Ambient Mode a little before the recent update, but battery life just wasn't sufficient to keep it on. After the update, battery life improved enough for Ambient Mode, so I switched it on. I dealt with it a couple days, then ultimately turned it off for this very reason. It just seemed clunky to me, and as you stated, I'd often glance at my wrist only to see the wrong time until suddenly the watch came fully on and updated.
I was excited for Ambient mode, but like you, I no longer see the point. I'd rather just have a user-controllable setting for "fully on" sensitivity. If I could make my 360 just a little more sensitive to my raising my wrist action, it'd be perfect without Ambient Mode.
I wish I could have the screen on all the time in some cases.. like if you go to someplace classy, i would have the face on all the time displaying the watch face. Thats just me.
I've seen the screen update while it was dim. I do think that it is too dim to use outside like you mentioned.
I noticed this as well. Surely just a bug or an issue with android wear that will be fixed at some point. I'm also sure they will provide a lot more features to regulate screen controls, on, off, brightness, etc in future updates. It's just a matter of time.
I look at it this way... the sensor is kind of future proof if anything. Might not be very useful now, but could have a lot of potential in the next few months or once custom ROM's start rolling out.
Android wear is still in the early stages. It can only get better. Just be patient, we are early adopters on first generation hardware.
tlxxxsracer said:
I wish I could have the screen on all the time in some cases.. like if you go to someplace classy, i would have the face on all the time displaying the watch face. Thats just me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is a way you can set the screen on all the time:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=55311726
knoxploration said:
So I've finally had the chance to play with one of these watches extensively, and I am baffled by ambient mode.
It's not that it still turns off sometimes; that makes perfect sense. What's wrong with it is that it doesn't actually update even when the screen is on.
Test it yourself. Use the default watch face, enable ambient mode, and go in a completely dark room. You can leave the watch still or move it about, just don't let it act as if you're raising your arm and brighten the display.
Watch it for two or three minutes, and you'll notice that even though the screen remains on, it never updates -- the minute hand never moves, and so it doesn't actually show the right time very quickly after it dims. (This is with the official, default watch face, a just-rest watch, the latest firmware installed, and plenty of battery remaining.)
When the screen turns on from a raise or tap in ambient mode, you can actually see the minute hand jump forward several minutes in one go. Even with ambient mode disabled, the watch still turns on automatically with the raise gesture, and it takes no longer to do so than it does in ambient mode.
That implies there is no reason to use it other than vanity. After all, in the brief time before the backlight comes on the watch shows the wrong time, and it doesn't actually show the right time any faster than it would have.
But it's not really a vanity mode either, because except in a very dark place, the dimmed screen is indistinguishable from a powered off one to those standing near you. So you're wasting power, but still look like you have a blank screen on your wrist.
So what, precisely, is the point? It seems to me to add no benefit, just to waste battery. I'm baffled.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just watched mine move the minutes hand just fine in ambient mode... this is with the classic Motorola face.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsTpDpgYwFY
I have started using ambient mode for the first time in a bright office environment and noticed that at random times the display completely turns off. It turns back on once I move my hand ever so slightly. For me Ambient Mode should always be on regardless of lighting condition and watch orientation.
zarks said:
I have started using ambient mode for the first time in a bright office environment and noticed that at random times the display completely turns off. It turns back on once I move my hand ever so slightly. For me Ambient Mode should always be on regardless of lighting condition and watch orientation.
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Click to collapse
I thought it would stay on the dimmed mode the whole time too... but like you said it turns on with even the slightest rotation of the wrist now, and that means we can finally glance at the watch and see the time!
:good:
The minuets do update in real time so idk what you're seeing?
This observation definitely needs to be settled because we have 2 conflicting reports here. Some of you are claiming the watch does not update the time even when the screen is on unless you fully wake the screen. Others are saying it updates just fine, so what gives?
FYI my G watch always displays the correct time, even when dimmed, so I dont think it's an Android Wear problem. Sounds kinda like additional battery conservation steps by Moto. They are essentially sleeping the CPU so that there is just enough juice remaining to keep the screen on for 16+ hours. I just dont understand how some of you are experiencing this and others are not.
for me, in ambient mode, the screen still turns off after a while. but it turns back on much quicker than with ambient mode off. it often takes an exaggerated bring-up-arm movement to turn on the screen with ambient off. i used to resort to tapping the screen instead. with ambient on the battery still last me a "work day". off charger at 7AM and dies around 10PM or so...battery lasts longer with stock faces compared to Facer faces...
Most developer purposes.
My ambient mode used to stay on all the time now it turns off the screen..
ws6kid said:
My ambient mode used to stay on all the time now it turns off the screen..
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Click to collapse
I just started using it and noticed the screen stays on if you keep it flat horizontal, but if you turn your wrist past 45 degrees it turns off.
Maybe they added that with the update, did ambient mode used to stay on even when that watch is sideways?
Ambient is so useless for me, the screen is almost off all the time... So frustrating coming from a g watch
RunNgun42 said:
This observation definitely needs to be settled because we have 2 conflicting reports here. Some of you are claiming the watch does not update the time even when the screen is on unless you fully wake the screen. Others are saying it updates just fine, so what gives?
FYI my G watch always displays the correct time, even when dimmed, so I dont think it's an Android Wear problem. Sounds kinda like additional battery conservation steps by Moto. They are essentially sleeping the CPU so that there is just enough juice remaining to keep the screen on for 16+ hours. I just dont understand how some of you are experiencing this and others are not.
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Click to collapse
For me, I believe I have seen my watch 'get stuck' maybe once or twice where the time on the dim screen wasn't the same as I had on my computer. This could just be a difference in the clocks, as whenever I check both my phone and my dim watch together, they are the same. Like RunNgun42 said, I think it might be a thing where the proc is in sleep mode to try and save power and isn't keeping up the time as accurately as it could. Once you shake it though and the screen lights up again, the proc will come out of sleep and maintain more accurate timekeeping.
Isn't there a screen always on option in the android wear app?
And yes ambient mode still turns off when the watch is at an angle consistent with being down at your side or is completely still.
SilentAce07 said:
Isn't there a screen always on option in the android wear app?
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Click to collapse
No, you can't keep the screen on at all times out of the box, but some 3rd party software can do it...
Ambient mode is a lot quicker to wake up and react than non-ambient, it's a lot more accurate (non-ambient often stays off when I turn my arm to look at the time), it's easier to see what time it is, and it acts a lot more like a conventional watch- the display is on when you need it.
Battery drain is not a biggie, I get through the day, every day.
I wear my watch backwards, with the face to my body, is there any way to switch the rotation for the screen turn on? It seems to only work if the watch is on normal.
Notice there're like two types on how people use their Moto 360.
1) Ambient Mode: on - Tilt to wake screen: off
Can always see the watchface, backlight light up by touching/interaction.
2) Ambient Mode: off - Tilt to wake screen: on
Tilt will turn on the screen with backlight. Nothing if it doesn't.
Which are you? and why?
philippecr said:
Notice there're like two types on how people use their Moto 360.
1) Ambient Mode: on - Tilt to wake screen: off
Can always see the watchface, backlight light up by touching/interaction.
2) Ambient Mode: off - Tilt to wake screen: on
Tilt will turn on the screen with backlight. Nothing if it doesn't.
Which are you? and why?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unless my watch is defective and everything I've read is wrong, the face on a Moto360 will never always stay on, even when tilt to wake screen is off (I just tried it to confirm). Turning ambient mode on and tilt to wake screen off only makes it so you have to tilt to get the ambient mode screen.
But to answer the question, I'm neither. I have ambient mode on and tilt to wake screen on. I use this configuration because I want my watch to behave like a normal watch, and I don't want to have to touch it to see the time. I also want the screen to be on as much as possible because sometimes I hold my arm at an angle that isn't detected as a true "tilt" by the watch, and I want to be able to check the time despite this.
I have tilt to wake on and ambient off because I dont want touse more battery by keeping ambient on but I also want to be able to view the time without having to touch the screen or button.
TheSt33v: u had both of them on? How is the battery life?
I have them both OFF. I found out tilt to wake off extends my battery live tremendously. But I miht be a special case since I drive for living and the watch wakes up way too often.
I'd welcome some kind of "custom calibration" for cases like this and also it would be nice, if the screen would turn off IMMEDIATELY after you move the watch away from face.
I miss voted - I have both OFF (not on).
I like to tap or hit the button to see it. Otherwise it is on virtually all the time with my hands moving so much for work.
The the new app wod i kight turn mine into a boost gauge ....lol
Sent from my HTC One_M8 using XDA Free mobile app
philippecr said:
TheSt33v: u had both of them on? How is the battery life?
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Click to collapse
I's fine. I charge it overnight, and it's usually 20-30% by the time I go to bed.
until today I used all OFF, but after seeing this post I decided to try with Ambient Mode ON and Tilt to wake OFF.. I'll post later on the battery life comparaison in my case. I'm surprised to see the screen go black when not moving the watch at all even with ambient mode ON.
It's clear, I don't like to use tilt to wake, because of the 1sec lag when I move my wrist to see the time, hate it to feel like I didn't move it correctly even if I did.
I just found out from this thread that it is possible to disable the tilt to wake up gesture. Thanks OP !
Stupidly, you can't find this in watch settings, only in Android Wear app's settings.
For me, tilt to wake up disabled and ambient mode enabled looks like the best combination and battery life seems to be the same or better than with the defaults (Ambient off and tilt to wake up on), especially when driving.
Jungleman_ said:
until today I used all OFF, but after seeing this post I decided to try with Ambient Mode ON and Tilt to wake OFF.. I'll post later on the battery life comparaison in my case. I'm surprised to see the screen go black when not moving the watch at all even with ambient mode ON.
It's clear, I don't like to use tilt to wake, because of the 1sec lag when I move my wrist to see the time, hate it to feel like I didn't move it correctly even if I did.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is how I use mine. Ambient ON, Tilt OFF.
Tilt to wake lag's really bad.
Ambient ON means I can always see the time, like a real watch.
Talking to my watch is the daggiest thing in the world, so I would always touch it anyway to activate a task.
Battery:
40-30% left when I got to bed. Turn watch OFF.
Put on charge while I get ready for work in the morning. 95-85% 20 mins later when I leave.
Happy days....
michael_or said:
This is how I use mine. Ambient ON, Tilt OFF.
Ambient ON means I can always see the time, like a real watch.
Battery:
40-30% left when I got to bed. Turn watch OFF.
Put on charge while I get ready for work in the morning. 95-85% 20 mins later when I leave.
Happy days....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I take it you still have to lift the watch to see the ambient mode (watchface) since the Moto 360 screen always goes off when you move your arm down?
SirDigitalKnight said:
I take it you still have to lift the watch to see the ambient mode (watchface) since the Moto 360 screen always goes off when you move your arm down?
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Click to collapse
Yep, but, when my arm is down, I cant see my watch anyway!
Even with an analogue watch I would need to point it toward my face to read it.
I find the moto360 is pretty good at guessing whether I'm looking or not. With my arm resting on the desk/keyboard as I type this, my ambient watchface is on and I can read it by glancing down, no watch movement required.
I'm pretty happy with the battery life I'm getting in this mode.
michael_or said:
Yep, but, when my arm is down, I cant see my watch anyway!
Even with an analogue watch I would need to point it toward my face to read it.
I find the moto360 is pretty good at guessing whether I'm looking or not. With my arm resting on the desk/keyboard as I type this, my ambient watchface is on and I can read it by glancing down, no watch movement required.
I'm pretty happy with the battery life I'm getting in this mode.
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Click to collapse
Agreed, I am liking the same settings on mine. Only 2 weeks with the watch so I still have to play some more but 11 hours into my watch use for the day and I am still at 59%!
I use tilt on and ambient off because i don't want use more battery when it not use.
Thanks for all the tips! I just ordered a Moto 360 myself and I plan on enabling Ambient Mode and disabling the tilt to display mode. If I plan on actually using my watch for a task I'm most likely going to tap on the screen anyway rather than tilting my wrist, and battery life will most likely be the same.
Soooo.
My watch just updated to the newest Android Wear version.
Now it seems my Ambient Mode leaves the screen on, regardless of angle!
It will be interesting to see how this effects my battery life!...!...!
I keep it all on.
I find both too useful to keep off.
michael_or said:
Soooo.
My watch just updated to the newest Android Wear version.
Now it seems my Ambient Mode leaves the screen on, regardless of angle!
It will be interesting to see how this effects my battery life!...!...!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought I was crazy but I just noticed this today. It turns out that ambient on and tilt to wake off leaves ambient always on. If you activate tilt to wake, the ambient screen turns off when facing out away from you or down. So tilt off, ambient on is what I'm going to try tomorrow to see how battery life is. The only thing I miss is the OK Google command just by raising my wrist.
Sent from my LG-D631 using XDA Free mobile app
Can anyone help confirm if they see this behavior with their watch? I have always-on screen set to ON in the Android Wear app. (Tilt to wake and gestures are both OFF.) I have noticed that even on the stock Moon Phase face, if I don't touch the face for a while, the watch goes to sleep. By that I mean, the face is completely black, as if I turned off the always-on screen option.
I haven't determined yet if it's always after a specific amount of time. Seems to be at least 30 min, maybe an hour.
Is this normal behavior? I was under the impression that always on means always on, And that time in dim mode would always show.
You are correct.
bailyc said:
Can anyone help confirm if they see this behavior with their watch? I have always-on screen set to ON in the Android Wear app. (Tilt to wake and gestures are both OFF.) I have noticed that even on the stock Moon Phase face, if I don't touch the face for a while, the watch goes to sleep. By that I mean, the face is completely black, as if I turned off the always-on screen option.
I haven't determined yet if it's always after a specific amount of time. Seems to be at least 30 min, maybe an hour.
Is this normal behavior? I was under the impression that always on means always on, And that time in dim mode would always show.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are correct, always on means always on, the only time the watch should sleep, is when you have it on the charger. You may have a bad install or worst case scenario a bad watch.
vvveith said:
You are correct, always on means always on, the only time to watch should sleep, is when you have it on the charger. You may have a bad install or worst case scenario a bad watch.
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Click to collapse
Ok, thanks for confirming! I definitely have something wrong, then. I've factory reset several times and even taken off most apps, and it still happens. Looks like it might be the watch.
I have similar problem - always ON, gestures off, but after about 10 seconds it changes watchface to some dark/black one.
I believe the Always on Feature is not for having your watch face on all the time, but rather it dims your watch face but you still can tell the time with just the darker screen. It's not going to keep your watch face fully lit if that option is turned on.
Well, then I`m selling mine. Why would I want all them beautiful watchfaces if I can`t have them always on?! That`s just stupid.
rbs_uk said:
Well, then I`m selling mine. Why would I want all them beautiful watchfaces if I can`t have them always on?! That`s just stupid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most of the folks that make the WatchMaker faces either just dim the face, or they make a dimmed mode face that looks like it has phosphorous markings. I personally make custom dimmed modes. My favorite method is to make a blood red version of the face with just the essential features. The moon phase ones can look BAD ASS with the blood red moon phase on a pure black background. This is the only watch I have ever actually gotten comments on in public. When people see it they notice that it ain't no normal watch, and it ain't no Apple watch.
rbs_uk said:
Well, then I`m selling mine. Why would I want all them beautiful watchfaces if I can`t have them always on?! That`s just stupid.
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Click to collapse
I think the battery life would just be too short if you left the face on all the time, all the time meaning the watch never went into dim mode. Just run tilt on, and don't wear the watch to loose. Especially at night if the watch never dimmed that would get annoying as hell it's so bright.
'god guys, really????
rbs_uk said:
I have similar problem - always ON, gestures off, but after about 10 seconds it changes watchface to some dark/black one.
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Click to collapse
Come on guys you do understand ambient mode right? When the main screen of the watch face shuts down it goes into ambient mode, which is simply black and white. Just like any pure android device. (i.e. Nexus 6) If you do not understand of know of this behaviour please stop posting and do some research. 'The watch is acting as it is suppose to in Android Wear. Just like notifications on a Nexus device. Google is your friend.
So is YouTube and understanding the android system as of today. Come on, get a clue.
Yeah I think if it was on all the time you'd be lucky to get even a few hours of battery life out of it....
falcon26 said:
Yeah I think if it was on all the time you'd be lucky to get even a few hours of battery life out of it....
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Click to collapse
Well, I know what I personally thought was confusing is that "always on" isn't actually always on when charging. When on the charger, display turns off completely after a time. That's different behavior from what I'm used to based on the Moto X, which has AMOLED and still displayed ambient information on the screen when charging/docked. I find it a little odd that there is no built-in charging/docked display that uses the ambient (dimmed) display mode.
But to be sure, my watch definitely had something wrong with it. I just received a replacement unit yesterday, so I'll be testing it out today to see if it's able to stay dimmed as it should when off the charger.
Be attencion with "always on" mode, this is screen after four days (contrast on level 3).
I've had the "Ranger" watch face on with a full colour ambient mode and not experiencing any burn-in. Every minute it shifts the image somewhat in order to reduce any burn in effect. See https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.smartwatchface.watch.face.ranger.military .
Just to cease any confusion. Always On means the screen is always on. After a few seconds, the screen will dim and go into a black/white ambient mode to reserve power.
The OP says his screen is turning completely off. So it seems there is a problem there. Every Watch face has a different ambient mode. Perhaps the one you are using has a broken ambient mode and not displaying data.
I found the best way to make a watch face is to build one yourself. Purje Black is awesome for this (truely amazing app). I am not going to do a full review but the transition between full on and ambient mode is animated, looks fantastic, has lots of Hotspots to launch various apps like weather, Google Fit data, etc, and displays it in a awesome format.
But the best feature is that you can customize the ambient mode separately from the actual face. They also support community made themes, so just browse their Google Plus theme page, find one you like, customize it to how you want it and save it.
Just be careful with your AMOLED screen that you don't have any information that is static in ambient mode, like numbers, hour marks, etc. I prefer a Digital clock/Calendar date on my Amoled, but have a nice looking analog with various information on my full face.
The device going to sleep is normal. It will go from full on to ambient mode and from there if the watch isn't moved for 30 minutes it will shut the screen off. See below from Google.
"You can set the display to show the time or turn off completely when you're not using the watch. If set to turn off, the screen will turn on when you turn your wrist or touch the screen.*
Tip: Letting your screen turn off when you're not using the watch will help improve battery life. If the watch hasn't moved for 30 minutes, the screen will turn off even if you have it set to remain always on. To wake your watch, tilt it or press the power button."
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Hi
I'm trying to find an App for my watch that will keep the Watchface in Ambient mode for as long as i like (more than 24Hrs) even when it's not on my hand (not being moved).
Any ideas would be appretiated.
ausi said:
Hi
I'm trying to find an App for my watch that will keep the Watchface in Ambient mode for as long as i like (more than 24Hrs) even when it's not on my hand (not being moved).
Any ideas would be appretiated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First off between the battery hit and possible screen damage I wouldn't recommend that. But I haven't seen any faces or apps that would accomplish this. And since that feature is inherent to wear it would probably take root to accomplish it anyway.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
crawrj said:
First off between the battery hit and possible screen damage I wouldn't recommend that. But I haven't seen any faces or apps that would accomplish this. And since that feature is inherent to wear it would probably take root to accomplish it anyway.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Thanks, i have root..........but still cannot find an App to do this, i still would like to try.
Ho about limiting brightness to lower level than level 1. While I,m not using watch, just before it goes to ambient, I can See brightness dimmed to lower than minimum and after, ambient turns on, whitch is brighter. What can i do to use lowest levels all the time?
Stay Lit Wear
In case you haven't found it yet, search Google Play for "Stay Lit Wear."
I wear my watch and I'm making a soft drink (example). Screen comes full on but there's no notifications..
I go to do some laundry, screen comes on again but there's no notifications.
I get home and put my bag down, turn on the TV and pick up the PS4 controller, screen comes on again but there's no notifications.
I want to check the time on my watch so I hold my wrist up to my face. Screen stays off. I hold it there for a second, then do something else like put some music on the hifi, whilst still wondering what the time is.
Is there a way to lock the watch so that this feature where it's supposed to tell if you're holding it upright to check the face, can be turned off? It seems I have 2 problems:
1. during my normal every day activities, the watch things I'm trying to check the time and so the screen comes on.
The problem with this is that during my every day activities, I'm not holding the watch upright and then keeping it still. The watch is on my arm and so would be moving around anywhere my arm was going. So, even if for a split second the face did come on, my expectation is that the face should switch off very quickly again once the motion sensors detected my arm being in a different place.
2. when I actually want to check the time sometimes there's a long delay before the screen comes on.
Anyone else have these problems?
I tried double tapping the button on the side as a means to keep the screen off until I want it on, but this also mutes the notifications so that's not good.
I'm assuming that your question is different than 'how do I turn off' the always on screen feature.
Open the android wear app on your phone
Click the gear button in the upper right to bring up the settings window.
Directly under 'Device Settings' where it says 'Huawei Watch' [Connected], click that line.
Under the 'Always-on screen' line is the 'tilt to wake screen' line.
Deselect that option, by default it is on.