Tap the DEVICE to unlock/silence/show clock (Accelerometer)
 

Hi!

Wouldn't it be possible to make n900's build-in accelerometer read out a user-programmed tapping scheme to unlock the device? The accelerometer is pretty precise so it should be possible.

Other uses for this 'accelerometer based device control' by tapping could include ignoring an incoming call or silencing the ring - simply done by tapping out the programmed tap Morse code on the device which is still in your pocket.

Picture those awkward moments when you forgot to at least silence your device before attending a meeting and suddenly someone just had to call you. You would no longer need to struggle to get the chunky n900 out of your pocket which while sitting is even more difficult. Quick tapping Morse code would save you those seconds of embarrassment.

Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte uses this 'technology' - tapping the device shows up a clock on the screen. I played with this feature on that device and no matter where I double-tapped the device while it was locked, the clock popped up. So I think it should be possible to implement in n900 as well...

So what do you think about that?

Re: Tap the DEVICE to unlock/silence/show clock (Accelerometer)
 

Re: Tap the DEVICE to unlock/silence/show clock (Accelerometer)
 

Could be that as well:

The n900 is in your pocket with the screen facing the 'outside' so it makes it possible to 'press' on the screen through the cloth. Double tapping (as in the case of power button) would unlock it. It could also be programmable to personalize the tapping scheme and it's effect.

Re: Tap the DEVICE to unlock/silence/show clock (Accelerometer)
 

Way to go on flattening your battery. Put you phone in you pocket unlocked and see what happens. This would be a bad feature for a resistive screen as any pressure would activate it, on a capacitance screen it would be find, as pressure in your pocket cannot activate it.

As for silencing the phone when it rings, I have found that when sitting down with the phone face down in my pocket it self silences and I think that the person calling has hung up, when in face they are still waiting for me to answer.
Have not tested this to confirm it, but it has happened to me several times while driving, all I got was one ring but the caller said it rang until the answer phone timed out and asnwered the call.

Re: Tap the DEVICE to unlock/silence/show clock (Accelerometer)
 

Turning the device upside-down silences the ring on incoming calls

Re: Tap the DEVICE to unlock/silence/show clock (Accelerometer)
 

I already know that.
I didn't turn it upside down, it was already upside-down in my pocket.

Re: Tap the DEVICE to unlock/silence/show clock (Accelerometer)
 

This happened to me on several occasions. Extremely annoying. It should be possible to turn off this automatic silencer! How about an app for that?!

Re: Tap the DEVICE to unlock/silence/show clock (Accelerometer)
 

Actually, I think the accelerometer supports a tap function, and the accelerometer is afaik, always on, even when the screen's off, I'll check in a bit though

Edit: not sure about always on, but the accelerometer supports tap/double tap
See http://wiki.maemo.org/N900_accelerometer

Edit 2: apparently it's not always on, ty SpeedEvil