Touch screen and keys lock problem

[Hagar]

I put my N800 (running OS2008 latest version from Nokia) in the coat pocket with the Keys and screen locked (by pressing power and then the enter button) most of the time. I don't want to shut it down always. The problem is that 8 out of 10 times, when I take it out from the pocket, the screen lock has been off and the tablet has been trying to make the VoIP calls all over and making new contacts in my directory and trying to connect to internet using my mobile, WLAN and what not ;) Sometimes this happened after many hours of wearing the coat and sometimes after just a minute or so.

After wondering about the matter for quite some time, I figured out that the camera on the N800 is not affected by the keylock! So even if the keys are locked and screen is locked, the moment you press the camera to take it out, it activates the tablet! So this seems to be a problem. After experiencing a lot of unwanted VOIP calls from the pocket, I've had to delete my VOIP account totally and change the connection methods from automatic to "always ask". Once the keylock is turned off, there is no saying what all the tablet does on it's own. Many times, it has started the internet radio, set up alarms, added notes, made weird contacts in my contact database and what not... This is really really annoying :(

The curious thing here is, the camera has not been out a single time when the keylock has turned off on it's own!!

Is there anything that can help? Anyway to make sure that once I lock the screen and buttons, it stays that way until I decide to unlock it myself? De-activate that camera from unlocking the screen and buttons??

Thanks in advance,
Hagar

[Benson]

Diagnosis:
Lonely evil AI is making internet calls in search of a companion.

Suggested solution procedure*:

Determine the gender of the lonely evil AI on your N800.
NOTE: Due to the USB host-mode capabilities of the N800, the gender cannot be determined from physical examination alone.
Obtain a suitable BT-compatible host device. This will stay in your other coat pocket.
Create/obtain evil AI of opposite gender and install in host device.
Establish BT connection, allowing your lonely evil AI to communicate with his/her new partner.
Your evil AI may demand physical intimacy with its partner. Refusing this request may increase risk of serious bodily injury, especially when near large computer-controlled equipment. It is recommended that you acquire suitable cables and adapters in advance, to fulfil such requests.


*Due to the volatile nature and synergistic effects of evil AIs, this procedure may have undesirable side-effects, including but not limited to: domination and/or destruction of any internet, world, and/or universe in the vicinity. Nokia Corporation, the itT forum administrators, and this poster cannot be held responsible for any incidents arising from or pertaining to this procedure.

[ghoonk]

bastid. after i spluttered juice all over my keyboard, i fell off my chair and hurt myself. :D

[Hagar]

Benson: Don't you mean ET (Extra-terrestrial) instead of AI (presumably Artificial Intelligence).....:rolleyes:

That was very cute solution you presented....really!! I read your reply in the middle of a very dull meeting and you should've seen the look on the faces around me when I started to grin at my computer :D

ghoonk: Hopefully no bones broken.....Get well soon ;)

Now, could someone please take this seriously? This unintentional unlocking of the keys and screen is getting on my nerves! Although I wouldn't like to switch it off everytime, that is the only sensible option left for me at the moment....

[Benson]

Yes, I meant AI, AIs (being programs) live in computers... you have one living in your N800.

As for taking it seriously, AIs are very serious business.

As for taking "taking it seriously" seriously, well, I have had no such problems... yet. I throw it in the sock which came with it, and keep the sock in my pocket. No troubles. It sounds like you're throwing it barenaked in your pocket, which is a recipe for damage to the device, to say nothing of accidental clicks. I used to use softpoweroff, which is said to be more reliable than the key/screen lock, but the new firmware broke that. Maybe, when I've had it more than a week, I'd have witnessed some such behavior.

One thing that may help is to open the "Internet call" program. From the menu, pick Tools > Settings..., then uncheck Start when camera launched. Now the VoIP won't fire up. But it seems to still unlock the screen, so it doesn't help much.

I think carrying it in the sock may be the best thing -- The sock is quite grippy on the outside, so it stays in your pocket, and you can just slide the IT into and out of it.

[Hagar]

Well, thank you Benson for "taking it seriously" seriously :)

I will try out disabling that camera setting from the VOIP app. The "sock" that you are referring to didn't come with my device (bought secondhand). So I don't have any other option at the moment to store it. I've been searching for a suitable case for this one ever since I got it, but nothing available here in India (this device is not even imported here).

What is that "soft poweroff" that you are mentioning in your post? I don't even have that option when I press the power button. There are just four options there:

- Lock touch screen and keys
- Offline mode
- Lock device
- Switch off!

Is there any other way to do that "soft poweroff"?

- Hagar

[mplawner]

Softpoweroff locked the screen and keys regardless of whatever happened. It's broken, but they know how to fix it (see bug 2400), but won't share.

Anyhow, in the meantime I've found the most reliable method is:

- Disable auto network connections
- When you want to "lock" your device, first do Offline mode, then Lock Device.

This should keep most of the pop-ups from starting up your display. I agree, this is annoying and, I'll say it again: I WANT MY SOFTPOWEROFF back!

BTW - Be sure to check your screen status (on or off) when you plug or unplug something (headphone, power cable, I assume USB)... even in Offline mode/Lock Device this action will wake up your screen.

[GeneralAntilles]

Softpoweroff locked the screen and keys regardless of whatever happened. It's broken, but they know how to fix it (see bug 2400), but won't share.

Er, the fix is in the (closed source) code. It's not some configuration you can go and change, but because it's an unsupported feature it doesn't qualify for a hot-fix. It'll probably be fixed with the next firmware release.

[Benson]

What is that "soft poweroff" that you are mentioning in your post? I don't even have that option when I press the power button. There are just four options there:

- Lock touch screen and keys
- Offline mode
- Lock device
- Switch off!

Is there any other way to do that "soft poweroff"?

- Hagar
Sorry I missed this till now... The old way to do soft poweroff, back when it worked, involved editing a configuration file.

But I found that powerlaunch now supports soft-poweroff, even with the new firmware. I must warn you that powerlaunch is a bit hackish at the moment; I've had no stability issues or anything, but it's all configured with config files (no graphical tool or anything), and requires substantial configuration to bring out its full potential.

That said, it does install easily, and the default config works (though it doesn't do a lot). The benefits of powerlaunch include locking the touchscreen and leaving the hardware keys unlocked to control mpd (the music playing daemon), soft power-off, brightening and dimming the backlight from hardware keys (great when you have it turned down and walk out into the sun), and general configurability of what happens after you tap the power key.

And in fact, when powerlaunch does the power-select lock, it doesn't come out of lock when the camera opens, though it still launches VoIP, it can't do anything beyond that.

So it looks like powerlaunch may be your ticket out.