Wow, smart screen kind of scared me today

[spinedoc77]

I have to say, the smart screen function is actually kind of cool. This is the function that keeps the phone screen on when it detects your face looking at it. I don't think many phones have it, I believe the S4 and my LG G2 are 2 of the few that have it.

Anyway I had it switched on, but never used it, thinking it was just a gimmick and you had to have your face a couple inches away from the screen or something. Today I had it in my car cradle at least a couple of feet away from my face, and in the middle of the dashboard so at an angle. I was listening to a podcast and the screen dimming caught my attention from the corner of my eye, I turned slightly to look at the screen and it lit up again. It was kind of freaky and I kept doing it every time the screen dimmed, it took me like half a dozen of these until I realized it was the smart screen function.

It's actually kind of cool, and good to know it works. I'm not sure if I would necessarily use it, although I have to assume I HAVE been using it as I can't really remember any instances of when I was sitting looking at the screen that it shut off on me.

Anyone else like this feature?

 

[Gav2k]

I have to say, the smart screen function is actually kind of cool. This is the function that keeps the phone screen on when it detects your face looking at it. I don't think many phones have it, I believe the S4 and my LG G2 are 2 of the few that have it.

Anyway I had it switched on, but never used it, thinking it was just a gimmick and you had to have your face a couple inches away from the screen or something. Today I had it in my car cradle at least a couple of feet away from my face, and in the middle of the dashboard so at an angle. I was listening to a podcast and the screen dimming caught my attention from the corner of my eye, I turned slightly to look at the screen and it lit up again. It was kind of freaky and I kept doing it every time the screen dimmed, it took me like half a dozen of these until I realized it was the smart screen function.

It's actually kind of cool, and good to know it works. I'm not sure if I would necessarily use it, although I have to assume I HAVE been using it as I can't really remember any instances of when I was sitting looking at the screen that it shut off on me.

Anyone else like this feature?

Personally I don't as it's a battery hog

 

[spinedoc77]

Personally I don't as it's a battery hog

I don't understand, don't you want the screen on when you are looking at it?

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Personally I don't as it's a battery hog

How is it a battery hog? Who stares at the screen while it's off?

 

[Gav2k]

The camera is on all the time the screen is tracking your eyes! That uses battery life. One review test clocked the feature using over an hours battery life per cycle!

 

[Oohara]

I find it very useful on my Note 2. It's nice to be able to read for long periods without being interrupted by having to tap the screen to keep it awake every few minutes. It works flawlessly for me, even when I keep the phone all the way down on my lap.

I haven't noticed any difference in battery drain time when turning it off, but then again the battery juice on the Note 2 is already quite plentiful.

 

[onthecouchagain]

Awesome feature. Thankfully there are companies willing to experiment and get these features out there. There may be hiccups (as there usually are with technology) but it's really cool that they're putting the smart in smartphone.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

The camera is on all the time the screen is tracking your eyes! That uses battery life. One review test clocked the feature using over an hours battery life per cycle!

I haven't notice any battery drainage that is enough to even notice on the S3 or S4. Plus it's only in use when the screen is on.

 

[spinedoc77]

The camera is on all the time the screen is tracking your eyes! That uses battery life. One review test clocked the feature using over an hours battery life per cycle!

That's interesting, good to know. I don't think it matters much with my LG G2, the battery life on this thing is beastly.

 

[Dontazemebro]

Only bad thing it doesn't work as good under poor lighting.

 

[TheHateMachine]

Only bad thing it doesn't work as good under poor lighting.

Yea, my S3 didn't work very well but my Note 2 seems to work a lot better in the dark.

 

[Technarchy]

Only bad thing it doesn't work as good under poor lighting.

That's partly why I turned out off. That, and as a feature I regard it as mostly dubious.

About the only feature I keep on all the time with my GS4 is air gestures for answering the phone. Comes in handy more often than one would think.

 

[lazard]

I keep on smart stay, air gesture, and direct call. The features are useful and the battery usage is negligible.

 

[Dontazemebro]

That's partly why I turned out off. That, and as a feature I regard it as mostly dubious.

About the only feature I keep on all the time with my GS4 is air gestures for answering the phone. Comes in handy more often than one would think.

Agreed, I found it a nice novelty but don't really use it as much. Must have on for me is air gesture and multi window. Love those 2

 

[onthecouchagain]

Isn't it nice to be able to turn on and off things you may or may not need per your own choice and preference?

The fact that things can be turned on/off should nullify the common argument that so-and-so feature shouldn't exist because "I don't need it." You don't have to need it for it to exist.

I personally don't have these new features, but I love hearing about them.

 

[TheRealCBONE]

Isn't it nice to be able to turn on and off things you may or may not need per your own choice and preference?

The fact that things can be turned on/off should nullify the common argument that so-and-so feature shouldn't exist because "I don't need it." You don't have to need it for it to exist.

I don't understand why people would argue that being forced to accept less is somehow better than being given the option for more if you want it.

 

[Assault]

I have to say, the smart screen function is actually kind of cool. This is the function that keeps the phone screen on when it detects your face looking at it. I don't think many phones have it, I believe the S4 and my LG G2 are 2 of the few that have it.

Anyway I had it switched on, but never used it, thinking it was just a gimmick and you had to have your face a couple inches away from the screen or something. Today I had it in my car cradle at least a couple of feet away from my face, and in the middle of the dashboard so at an angle. I was listening to a podcast and the screen dimming caught my attention from the corner of my eye, I turned slightly to look at the screen and it lit up again. It was kind of freaky and I kept doing it every time the screen dimmed, it took me like half a dozen of these until I realized it was the smart screen function.

It's actually kind of cool, and good to know it works. I'm not sure if I would necessarily use it, although I have to assume I HAVE been using it as I can't really remember any instances of when I was sitting looking at the screen that it shut off on me.

Anyone else like this feature?

I did like some of the Touchwiz features. Smart stay always worked for me on the S3, and I liked that it would keep the phone in portrait mode if I was laying down on my side, because it saw the orientation of my head and eyes.

Custom ROMs, like the one I am now on, incorporate some cool features from the MotoX. Having options to use features like these are awesome!

 

[JohnLT13]

I don't understand why people would argue that being forced to accept less is somehow better than being given the option for more if you want it.

Sometimes less is more?

 

[TheRealCBONE]

Sometimes less is more?

In this case, less is just less.

 

[onthecouchagain]

I don't understand why people would argue that being forced to accept less is somehow better than being given the option for more if you want it.

Brilliantly said. Yes.

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In this case, less is just less.

Yup.

 

[OneMike]

Android had some cool features. This is one of them.

 

[Oohara]

Android had some cool features. This is not of them.

Why not?

 

[OneMike]

Why not?

iPhone auto correct error, updated. Meant to say it is one of them.

 

[JohnLT13]

In this case, less is just less.

Maybe for you personal experience it is, If I had wanted more I would have kept my Android phone. IMO sometimes less is more. I found that the iPhone 5 gave me everything I needed and very little of what I don't.

 

[spinedoc77]

In this case, less is just less.

Simple, but true. It always amazes me how a lack of options can be spun into a positive.

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Maybe for you personal experience it is, If I had wanted more I would have kept my Android phone. IMO sometimes less is more. I found that the iPhone 5 gave me everything I needed and very little of what I don't.

Well thanks for the valuable contribution to this thread, we will keep that in mind.