Roast of Screebl

[griz8791]

This app doesn't work for me. I have my "green area" set perfect, so when I am using the phone in portrait or landscape, its set to where it's in the "in use" area. But if I lay my phone flat (out of the green area) then my display NEVER goes dark. Am I doing something wrong? Did I miss something in the video?

Check the "stillness" timeout and sensitivity settings. Even when it's out of the "green" area it still follows these two setting to confirm screen-off. Also make sure you have the "enable at startup" checked. It seems to work better when started by the system after a boot than manually started.

Also if you've been using the debugging setting make sure you don't have "always on" checked (or whatever it's called, can't remember but it's on the same screen as the "usb debbuging" setting.

Slevinn--

If correctly I understand the theory behind this app, this is the way it is supposed to work for the vast majority of intended users and you can customize out of it if you want the screen on while the device is on a flat surface. The whole idea of the app is to guess whether the user wants the screen on or off based on the device's deviation from horizontal. As a default, the developer has guessed that most people are going to pick it up and tilt it when they want to look at info on the screen, and that they are going set the device down on a flat surface when they are done looking at it -- at which point they would probably prefer to have the screen off to save power. I am sure you can change this behavior in the settings but I haven't bothered to.

 

[Slevinn]

This app doesn't work for me. I have my "green area" set perfect, so when I am using the phone in portrait or landscape, its set to where it's in the "in use" area. But if I lay my phone flat (out of the green area) then my display NEVER goes dark. Am I doing something wrong? Did I miss something in the video?

Check the "stillness" timeout and sensitivity settings. Even when it's out of the "green" area it still follows these two setting to confirm screen-off. Also make sure you have the "enable at startup" checked. It seems to work better when started by the system after a boot than manually started.

Also if you've been using the debugging setting make sure you don't have "always on" checked (or whatever it's called, can't remember but it's on the same screen as the "usb debbuging" setting.

Slevinn--

If correctly I understand the theory behind this app, this is the way it is supposed to work for the vast majority of intended users and you can customize out of it if you want the screen on while the device is on a flat surface. The whole idea of the app is to guess whether the user wants the screen on or off based on the device's deviation from horizontal. As a default, the developer has guessed that most people are going to pick it up and tilt it when they want to look at info on the screen, and that they are going set the device down on a flat surface when they are done looking at it -- at which point they would probably prefer to have the screen off to save power. I am sure you can change this behavior in the settings but I haven't bothered to.

Exactly.. the problem I am having, is that I have set the tilts to my liking, so when its tilted at this angle, its in the green, and the screen should stay on regardless if I am actively doing anything or not... And then when its laid down flat, it should go out of the green zone, which then should make it to where after the time set has passed, the screen should go black.. well.. my screen NEVER goes black when its out of the green.

 

[seang]

what about when you stick it in your pocket?

 

[Matth3w]

I guess I don't really see the purpose. When I pick up my phone, I use it, and then as soon as I am done, I lock the screen by hitting the button. So what would screebl do for me?

 

[hookbill]

I have the lite version... I'm guessing the PRO version is more customizable.. Is it necessary? I don't imagine I'd mess with the stock settings too much.

There are a few extras that you can play with but for me it's more of a "support the developers" thing. Since they did such a GREAT job and it is SUCH a must have app you should 'reward' them with the purchase. Like I said there are only a handful (less than a dozen) that I have done this with. xScope is one of the others because the developer is AMAZING with support (nightly builds addressing any newly reported issues).

I bought the pro version because I got a message saying he needed to put his kid through college and I said absolutely. A great app like Screebl should be supported.

 

[STIDRIVER]

I guess I don't really see the purpose. When I pick up my phone, I use it, and then as soon as I am done, I lock the screen by hitting the button. So what would screebl do for me?

For me... it was usefull for calls in which you need to use the dialpad during.. (your bank, voicemail etc...) Or, even switching to speakerphone for calls. The screen shuts off when the phone is to your ear so you don't press buttons by accident. But, the screen is very sketchy and intermittantly goes on and off when trying to use the dialpad or switch modes... Screebl fixes this.

 

[Matth3w]

I guess I haven't had those issues. The only issue I have and I'm not sure if screebl can fix it (and if it can, if it's worth having running just for this one thing) but on Bluetooth and Speakerphone calls my phone locks, not just the screen times out like on regular calls.

 

[uscjoel]

Screebl is freakin awesome!!! I bought the Pro version just to support the dev.

 

[synctek]

I was looking for a way to keep the screen from timing out while I have the Droid plugged into the car stereo aux port. Screebl turned out to be the answer. I don't have to unlock the screen every time I want to change a song - which got annoying real fast. In addition, reading lengthy text messages and emails happens without a hitch now that I adjusted the angles. I will probably by the full version to support the Devs!!!

 

[solorca]

So I've read the review and all of comments, but I'm still confused about what Screebly actually does. I downloaded it and am running it with the stock settings, but I can't really figure out what it's doing for me.

Maybe I'm an idiot, but could someone explain what it actually does?

 

[synctek]

Screeble is designed to work with the accelerometer in the Droid to stop the screen from timing out (turns off & locks the screen) when it's in a particular position. If you set the screen timeout for 15 seconds and let the phone sit without touching any buttons or the screen, it will go into standby which will require you to press the power button and do the finger swipe to unlock. This can be a pain in the @$$ if your trying to read anything that takes longer than the timeout period. If you configure Screeble the right way, it will only timeout if it is held at a specific angle but will stay on otherwise or until you press the power button.

Example: I put my droid in my pocket while standing, it will timeout.....if I set it on the table (flat) it will time out. If I hold the phone at 45 degree and read an email, it will not timeout. You can make adjustments based on angles in both portrait and landscape mode. It also works great if your viewing pics or a webpages.

Make sense?

 

[Matth3w]

Yeah, but if you set your timeout default to 1 minute and manually put it into sleep IMMEDIATELY when you are done with the phone, I don't really see the point (at least the power saving portion) of using it.

 

[jbsangel]

On the dev's website there is a blurb about the power saving features. he notes something about the power savings are a little more evident when you have a device without a hardware keyboard. something about how often the accelerometer is activated on devices with and without a keyboard.

he also notes that screebl wasn't intented to save power, it's just a nice easter egg that came as a result. It was actually started to keep the screen on when you want it on and off when you want it off.

you are right, if you are diligent about turning off the screen, then you can use an aggressive timeout and the savings with screebl become more and more negligible.

Before I had screebl I already used the 15 or 30 s timeout and I too am pretty diligent with toggling the screen off. But that timeout was a pain when I didn't actually want the screen to turn off. Hooray for screeble. As for as power saving, it helps, however much, if you use screebl most aggressive setting, which is actually less then the 15s on the droid; it's like 5 seconds or so. It's miniscule, but those few time when you don't actually hit the power button, maybe you forgot, or you set it down thinking you were going to come right back to it but took longer than expected, you are saving easily 50s of screen time.

 

[solorca]

That does explain it, thank you. Personally I don't think I need those options, but it seems like a neat product. I think I'll pass on it for now.

 

[cereal killer]

Only change that needs to be implemented is to get rid of the iPhone like device he's using for the notification : )

Put some more dots on the bottom of the graphic.