Physical Mute Button on Droid!

[feivel]

Well, I've been searching for a "mute" button, as close to a silent switch as possible, and I've sort-of pieced one together. It's kludgey, but it works!

From the market I installed the "Mute" widget


Then added Button Shortcut (from market), and assigned the camera button long press to "Mute"



It's not perfect, but it works! And I get haptic feedback! I haven't had any force close from this on Droid. (Don't try setting Button Shortcut to run Phone, or it WILL crash).

So here are the big improvements I want:
A) Bypass Lock Screen (currently only works after I wake up the screen and unlock it.) The point is that I can do this just by reaching into my pocket, even if I am in front of hundreds of people. I used to live on my silent switch. I don't want it to unlock the phone, it should simply mute the phone on long-press, no matter what state the phone is in.

B) While on phone calls, Camera Button long-press should instead act as a "Call End" button. Then I'd really be happy.

C) The volume rocker doesn't appear to be a rocker at all - it's two switches! Can the droid register a press of both volume up and down buttons simultaneously? If so, I'd love to use this as a "full volume profile" button, setting everything to high. Basically an "anti-mute" button. I've been using Quick Profiles (which is awesome!) but I have to pull out the phone, unlock, and click the icon to run the profile. Again, like A, I'd like to be able to do this without looking.

So, is there an app, or any better way to assign the physical buttons on the Droid?

[GPhiAce]

i have all the same issues and questions as you. I would be interested if anyone have a solution. I am going to try the mute and button shortcut apps.

[Haruspex]

I would also enjoy such functionality. Now that the Droid is rooted, I can't imagine why it won't eventually be possible. I'm voicing my support for this ida.

As an aside, you did know that you can long-press the power button while the phone is on (so tap once, then long press) in order to bring up the short Phone options menu which includes silent mode, airplane mode, and power off (even when the phone is locked)?

[feivel]

Maybe it's working a little TOO well. A few times today, the person I was speaking to clearly indicated that they couldn't hear me. When I looked at the screen, I was at the grey dial-pad, with no mute button.

It turned out I had been holding the phone by the camera button. This solution switches the phone to the 'dial' screen and mutes the caller. Woops!

Just hit 'back' to find the mute button onscreen to unmute the phone.

Then post in this thread until someone writes an app that's smart enough to change button assignments when we're on the phone.

[Haruspex]

feivel, did you just not read your own thread?

[feivel]

feivel, did you just not read your own thread?

Why? What didn't I say?

[Haruspex]

feivel, did you just not read your own thread?

Why? What didn't I say?

I just wanted to know why the built-in "Phone options" menu wasn't a viable solution for you.

You can long-press the power button while the phone is on (so tap once, then long press) in order to bring up the short "Phone options" menu which includes silent mode, airplane mode, and power off (even when the phone is locked).

[feivel]

Ah. The beauty of a physical switch is using it without looking. That's the big point here. It shouldn't matter what is on the screen at all. If a long press on the power button muted the phone without needing to choose it from a menu, then it would be much more useful.

[Haruspex]

Ah. The beauty of a physical switch is using it without looking. That's the big point here. It shouldn't matter what is on the screen at all. If a long press on the power button muted the phone without needing to choose it from a menu, then it would be much more useful.

Agreed. Would love to see a real hack for this without having to wake the phone.

The irony, though, is that you're spending a lot of time using a hack idea which is far worse than just sliding the unlock bar left instead of right.

If you have to unlock your phone as it is, right now, then instead of unlocking, swipe in the opposite direction to silence your phone. That is, until we figure out a nice, no need to look, hardware button solution.