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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 believe that I have read and understood everything correctly. A friend of mine also has the watch, and he believes that my watch may be malfunctioning.
My problem occurs when ambient mode is on. Here is what I have observed:
When ambient mode is OFF, my watch turns off when I'm not holding it up - when I hold it up to chest level/my face, it turns on at my standard brightness (not dim).
When ambient mode is ON, my watch is very dim when it's off to the side, sometimes turning off completely at certain angles - when I hold it up to chest level/my face, it remains dim. The only way it goes to standard brightness is if I touch the screen or power button.
This occurs with Facer AND with stock watch faces.
Is this a problem with my watch or how I'm operating it? I'm on the latest update, I just purchased it two days ago.
Thank you very much for any help.
Reset your watch once and then see
Sent from my SM-N910C using Tapatalk 2
When it is dark I can not read the time.
Pitch dark, I have screen always on but I can not read time unless I turn the backlight on by pressing the button or wrist movement
This is normal?
I think I will live with it but with my old watch Gear Live if the screen is always on in the dark I can see the time.
always on has energy saving mode
AstroDigital said:
When it is dark I can not read the time.
Pitch dark, I have screen always on but I can not read time unless I turn the backlight on by pressing the button or wrist movement
This is normal?
I think I will live with it but with my old watch Gear Live if the screen is always on in the dark I can see the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes its normal. If you got your watch in "always on-mode" then the display gets dark and only shows the time very simple. So If you want to see the watchface in a dark rom you had to wake up the watch.
Mochs said:
Yes its normal. If you got your watch in "always on-mode" then the display gets dark and only shows the time very simple. So If you want to see the watchface in a dark rom you had to wake up the watch.
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Click to collapse
The relfective display works great in all situations except no light . Its like a normal watch, just tap it to wake it. The displays gets you allot of extra battery life though in ambient with light. I really like it and reminds me of my old garmin vivofit
Hey guys, wanted to see if this was an issue. I'm on the latest lollipop build on my 360 and using a Note 4 with lollipop also. In android wear settings I turn ON ambient mode, it stays on sometimes, but other times it turns completely off, I'd say ambient mode doesn't stay off most of the time. I've verified that on the watch itself it says ambient mode is off. I think I narrowed it down to if the watch is turned up, ambient mode stays on, but when I tilt the watch down the screen completely turns off.
Kind of related also is I turn off tilt to activate in android wear settings, but it still turns the watch on, specifically when ambient mode off doesn't work and the phone is not facing up and turns off. I suppose this is normal behavior and the issue remains with ambient mode not staying off.
Anyone else?
spinedoc said:
Hey guys, wanted to see if this was an issue. I'm on the latest lollipop build on my 360 and using a Note 4 with lollipop also. In android wear settings I turn ON ambient mode, it stays on sometimes, but other times it turns completely off, I'd say ambient mode doesn't stay off most of the time. I've verified that on the watch itself it says ambient mode is off. I think I narrowed it down to if the watch is turned up, ambient mode stays on, but when I tilt the watch down the screen completely turns off.
Kind of related also is I turn off tilt to activate in android wear settings, but it still turns the watch on, specifically when ambient mode off doesn't work and the phone is not facing up and turns off. I suppose this is normal behavior and the issue remains with ambient mode not staying off.
Anyone else?
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Click to collapse
This is normal. In ambient mode, the screen turns off after a short while. It seems a bit random. It's probably cos the battery wouldn't last throughout the day if it stayed on.
I personally find the ambient mode and tilt mode a bit annoying (especially when driving at night) so i just have them both switched off and tap the screen or button when i want to see the screen. The screen still lights up when an alert appears.
xdatastic said:
This is normal. In ambient mode, the screen turns off after a short while. It seems a bit random. It's probably cos the battery wouldn't last throughout the day if it stayed on.
I personally find the ambient mode and tilt mode a bit annoying (especially when driving at night) so i just have them both switched off and tap the screen or button when i want to see the screen. The screen still lights up when an alert appears.
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how do you turn off tilt mode?
hamdir said:
how do you turn off tilt mode?
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Click to collapse
Android Wear -> Settings -> Moto 360 -> Uncheck Tilt to wake screen option
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?
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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.
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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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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!...!...!
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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.
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