Using the screen in sunlight

**naviwilliams** · 08-10-2012, 04:02 PM

I know you've experienced this. You're outside, you receive a call, text message or an email a notification of sorts. In doing so you proceed to unlock your screen to thus read said notification, but due to the sheer brightness of the sun, you can't see a thing on your screen (this wasn't the case on my iPhone at 45% screen brightness).

What are the best remedy's for this? I know I could make the screen brighter (I have it set to 55% at the moment) maybe even 100%, but surely there are other options, no?

Thanks in advance

Ivan

**funkylogik** · 08-10-2012, 04:06 PM

would be really nice if the phone knew the weather in your area and knew if you were in or outside and set the brightness acordingly lol

**Rackness** · 08-10-2012, 04:34 PM

I am very confused by all of the folks who are having difficulty reading there phones in the sun. Outdoor viewing always pales in comparison to indoor viewing but i have zero trouble reading anything on my screen outdoors and in direct sunlight. I always keep my brightness adjustment set on automatic for all phones i have ever owned with that setting available and readability has never been an issue. The last phone i owned that I had trouble reading outside was my ld dare if anyone even remembers that old gem. The glare from the HD Zagg screen protector it the worst thing related to readability in sunlight and that is remedied by slightly tilting the phone.

I have always considered myself to be quite picky when it comes to my belongings but i just don't find most of the complaints on the forums to have much merit. I don't believe for a second that there is anything special with my particular s3 i but i have no complaints. It out performs every phone i have ever owned in every way accept battery life and it is still second only to my RAZR Maxx. I guess i will just consider myself lucky i guess.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

**sp0tted** · 08-10-2012, 04:46 PM

I create a widget that cycles through preset brightness settings.
35,75,95. I just use the toggles when I'm outdoors vs. indoors.

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**VicVinegar** · 08-10-2012, 04:47 PM

I haven't had an issue with it. My polarized sunglasses can cause some strange effects, but that is it.

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**Lanhoj** · 08-10-2012, 04:55 PM

I just keep mine at 100% all day long until I get home and keep a spare battery just in case.

**imhipper** · 08-10-2012, 05:16 PM

I have found that trying to view the screen in direct sunlight is almost impossible without shielding the screen. Has anybody tried a anti glare screen saver ?

**naviwilliams** · 08-10-2012, 06:21 PM

Maybe I need to try the automatic brightness setting.

Does anyone else use it?

**funkylogik** · 08-10-2012, 07:11 PM

nah i hate the auto-brightness. have u had the update that gives u a brightness slider in the notification bar?

**michko** · 08-10-2012, 07:40 PM

Did that update come to att phones?

I read you have to do it via Kies but when I tried it a week ago nothing new was available.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747

**PaulQ** · 08-10-2012, 08:27 PM

Same problem here in AZ where the sun shines BRIGHT.

My fix... I installed Apex launcher (not Nova, doesn't have this)... mapped the HOME key so that when I press it when it's on the home screen, it triggers a handy little widget called "Backlight!"

Backlight! is a little strange in that it has one widget for accessing its settings, one to use on your desktop and an app. You can tell Apex to trigger the app. Mine rotates between 0%-32%-100%. When I'm outside, I just tap the HOME button a couple times a voilà !

Backlight!

Plus, you get Apex which is awesome!

**Lanhoj** · 08-10-2012, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by PaulQ

... I installed Apex launcher (not Nova, doesn't have this)... mapped the HOME key so that when I press it when it's on the home screen, it triggers a handy little widget called "Backlight!"...

Nova Launcher has this option as well - you can remap the [HOME] to any App / Activity.
I personally chose Nova over Apex because Nova supports global Badge Notifications for all Apps instead of just SMS / GMail / Missed Calls / GTalk (which is all it supported last time I checked). Other than that, the Launchers are pretty much identical feature-wise so Badge Notifications put Nova over the top for me.

**jneusch** · 08-11-2012, 09:43 AM

I have noticed this problem as well and I am using auto brightness (not stock). My biggest complaint is when I receive a call I can't see who is calling. Maybe I don't want to talk to that person, but I have to answer in case it's a call I need to take. I'm not sure if that is a function of the screen itself, waking up from sleep is lagging, or auto brightness taking a few extra seconds to adjust. Either way it's a bit of a pain.

**mooseo21** · 08-11-2012, 10:03 AM

So is the issue seeing the screen in direct sunlight when set to 100% brightness or how to get to 100% brightness? I use the beautiful widget toggle to accomplish this easily. But when at 100% it doesn't solve the problem of not being able to read the screen. For comparison my droid x at 100% was much brighter and I never had a problem in direct sunlight.

**funkylogik** · 08-11-2012, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by michko

Did that update come to att phones?

I read you have to do it via Kies but when I tried it a week ago nothing new was available.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747

im in the UK so i dont know about AT+T mate sorry. think i got it OTA. ive defo seen people with US phones having it (theres a thread on this forum titled Mystery Brightness Control or something u might wana check out) cant remember what carrier the dude was on

**NickLippert** · 08-11-2012, 10:15 AM

I'm on at&t, don't think we have gotten that update. It is only on sprint so far in the US.

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**liteon163** · 08-11-2012, 10:23 AM

I added a brightness component to my 4x1 Widgetsoid switcher. I set it to rotate between 15/35/70%. If 70% isn't enough outside, I'll stand with my back to the sun and create just enough shade with my body to see what's on-screen.

**PaulQ** · 08-12-2012, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by jneusch

I have noticed this problem as well and I am using auto brightness (not stock). My biggest complaint is when I receive a call I can't see who is calling. Maybe I don't want to talk to that person, but I have to answer in case it's a call I need to take. I'm not sure if that is a function of the screen itself, waking up from sleep is lagging, or auto brightness taking a few extra seconds to adjust. Either way it's a bit of a pain.

I don't know how technical you want to get but you can use Tasker to bring your phone to full brightness when a call comes in.

**Soundtrack to Chaos** · 08-12-2012, 01:38 AM

Originally Posted by funkylogik

would be really nice if the phone knew the weather in your area and knew if you were in or outside and set the brightness acordingly lol

Lux pretty much does that for you, I was using it outside today and it made my screen easy to see in broad daylight check out the lux brightness app

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**alanandroid** · 08-27-2012, 02:28 PM

Yeah, bit of a problem this. Even in the North East of England where I come from. Indoors.. Great. Outdoors, on a sunny day(If we're lucky) .. Poor show. I'm using an S3 but it really struggles with the sun. Not really sure how our friends with iphones compare. This is one technology that needs to improve and the quicker the better. I'm sure they'll get there as screen tech moves forward but it is somewhat frustrating. Luckily on the S3 when your using the camera your able to switch to outdoor visibility mode which helps but browsing or texting and your looking for shade. Least the summer is nearly over.. or did it ever begin?

alanandroid

**OWybPPgO** · 08-27-2012, 03:29 PM

I keep my brightness pretty low most of the time and found I couldn't even see my screen well enough outside to find the brightness settings!

I used Tasker to create a little auto-brightness toggle widget on my home screen and I just tap it if that's the problem. Simple and it works great.

**bassmig** · 08-27-2012, 08:44 PM

Display Brightness is an app that adds a little slider bar on your screen and the little slider bar can be adjusted to be on the side, top or bottom of your screen, can be practically invisible and adjusts your screen with a mere swipe of your finger.

**will_solo** · 08-27-2012, 09:00 PM

This is the honest truth. It's impossible to see it in the sun.

**Kevin O'Quinn** · 08-27-2012, 10:33 PM

Even at 100% brightness the display just isn't capable of going bright enough to see in direct sunlight. Anybody that says this ISN'T an issue is kidding themselves. This isn't me trying to bash the S3's display, either, it's a measurable attribute of the phone. The display looks good for sure, but Samsung needs to seriously work on the brightness problem.

Fix that and color accuracy and Samsung will have the best display on Earth.

**PaulQ** · 08-28-2012, 01:10 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin O'Quinn

Even at 100% brightness the display just isn't capable of going bright enough to see in direct sunlight. Anybody that says this ISN'T an issue is kidding themselves.

Has there ever been a phone that works in direct sunlight? My first experience with any device that actually does this is my ASUS Transformer Prime Infinity with "Super IPS" mode. You activate that and wow, it's bright!