Keyboard backlight is inconsistant

[Websquad]

The physical keyboard back-light on my Droid 4 is inconsistent .... works, then while I'm entering data (and there is no change to ambient lighting) it doesn't work ... and after a few moments it starts working again.

Frankly, I'd like to switch a (software) switch so it works all the time?

For what it is worth, I'm not rooted, and don't want to root my ICS-based D4.

Any suggestions?

 

[Froyo]

Same issue here.

 

[mack19318]

I would like to keep it on and I am rooted. Any body have an answer either way?

 

[dlallen66]

I called tech support for this and like other issues with Droid 4 w/ICS they were no help. Somone PLEASE help!

 

[dgizzim]

S.o.l.

I called tech support for this and like other issues with Droid 4 w/ICS they were no help. Somone PLEASE help!

It seems that we're S.O.L. for now. What a dumb idea, not having a manual toggle for the keyboard backlight.

 

[dlallen66]

It seems that we're S.O.L. for now. What a dumb idea, not having a manual toggle for the keyboard backlight.

That pretty much sums up the whole I.C.S. P.O.S. VZN is about to lose a 300.00 a month customer.

 

[Hikertrash]

I'm not sure it's a VZN problem.


Had the problem in the past but just tried to note a pattern and it worked perfectly. Another similar glitch is the backlighting of the menu, home, return and search keys.

 

[dgizzim]

do you mean that you were able to keep the physical keyboard light on for the duration of your typing?

 

[Hikertrash]

do you mean that you were able to keep the physical keyboard light on for the duration of your typing?

Yes, it's seemed to sort itself out. How long it stays that way is anyone's guess.

 

[dgizzim]

what pattern did you note? I just noticed that I have to keep the keyboard out of the light for it to light up. What a hassle.

 

[richsapf]

I was scratching my head too about what was noted.....

On my Droid 3 had the same problem w/ no backlight on keyboard... I figured out which one of FOUR little sensors in the front was for the keyboard light... One was the camera, one was the sensor for your ear being close to the phone and shutting off the screen so your ear doesn't dial. I forget what the other was...

ANYWAY, I took a razor, some tweezers, and black electrical tape. I cut a piece of black tape about 2mm/maybe 3mm X about 6-7mm and like I was putting on a protection sheet, very carefully covered and gently but firmly pressed the black tape on ONLY that one sensor, and BINGO!... the keyboard worked perfectly and shut off when slid in..

My droid 4 seem okay, maybe a lag by about 1 sec and a little hiding it from the light but i can live with it..

 

[droidbound]

Well, this has been bugging me for quite a while on the Droid 4 (backlight turning on and off no matter what the external light source is).
I may have found a solution:
An app called Q2 backlight controller. Fairly new in the play store (January 2013).
There no user comments yet and I am hesitant to install something unproven, but permissions are ok and a scan with Lookout didn't set off any alarms.

You need root and busybox installed. Tapping the home screen icon brings up a dialog where I can turn the keyboard backlight and/or the home row button light on and off.
Closing the keyboard turns the keyboard backlight to the off position, which is great.

But the backlight for the home, back, menu keys is either on or off with this app, meaning: If set to "on" they stay lit all the time even when the screen is off.

A little cumbersome but beats trying to type in the dark! :sly:
So far it works perfectly.

Edit: After using it for a few days I am not sure I will keep Q2. It is very cumbersome to have to use the app to turn on/off the backlight for the home row keys. It it had a switch just for the keypad, it would be good, but with this app installed you have to turn on the light just to be able to see your "Home, Menu, Back and Search" keys in the dark. And each time you turn on your phone, you get that notification: Q2 has been granted SuperUser permission. Very annoying...

Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Websquad]

... I may have found a solution... You need root and busybox installed.

I don't know what this means: "You need root and busybox installed." I'm not sure how long I'm going to keep this device (I'm going to wait and see how the new Blackberry Q10 works out), so I don't want to make OS-level modifications to my Driod 4. So why do I need "root" installed to install the ap you mentioned?

 

[droidbound]

I don't know what this means: "You need root and busybox installed." I'm not sure how long I'm going to keep this device (I'm going to wait and see how the new Blackberry Q10 works out), so I don't want to make OS-level modifications to my Driod 4. So why do I need "root" installed to install the ap you mentioned?

Gaining root (user privileges) gives you and apps you may want to install access to the root of the file system on your device. They call it "jailbreaking" in the Apple world. It allows you to install apps like Titanium Backup which, among other things, allows you to freeze a lot of the bloatware Verizon and Motorola installed on this phone and thereby increasing performance, battery life etc. "Rooting" your phone is no big deal - there are plenty of how-to's on this forum - is reversible, but still something you want to study before attempting it.
Busybox is a collection of UNIX tools that some apps which require root access need to run.

If you're happy with how your phone runs and/or not sure if you want to keep it, I would hold off on rooting. If you keep this phone, it's something worth thinking about because it expands the possibilities of what you can do with the Droid 4 considerably. For example: Using your phone as WiFi hotspot without having to buy yet another overpriced data plan from Verizon.

 

[Websquad]

... For example: Using your phone as WiFi hotspot without having to buy yet another overpriced data plan from Verizon.

Yikes: I'm currently paying Verizon $30/month for my mobile hot spot. Is rooting and adding your DIY hotspot legal with respect to my relationship with Verizon?

For what it is worth, I'll take your suggestion to wait on rooting until I make my decision in October to keep my Droid 4 or move on. Right now, I'm inclined to keep it, since I'm locked into Verizon with an unlimited data contract that is "grandfathered."