h a l f b a k e r y"Bun is such a sad word, is it not?" -- Watt, "Waiting for Godot"
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How much time have I wasted hitting the down volume button on
my
"smart" phone while waiting for a video to load, while competing
software struggle to take over the function of the volume button,
only to finally give up just before one of them wins and plays the
first few words of a video comercial
on acne medication at top
volume? How many times have I hit that down volume button in
hopes that tge next time I hit it the correct software will have
engaged? How many times have I given up and tried to switch the
"hardware" mute switch only to have a piece of software obviate
it?
I think people would trust the system more if there was at least
one
thing, like the volume, that they could reliably control. Hardware
volume control.
[link]
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Given that you mention a hardware mute key, I'm
guessing you've got an iPhone? There's your
problem, buddy. Get a decent Android phone. The
problem you mention is one I've never experienced.
The hardware volume key has always worked for
me. |
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My Android phone has a very irritating startup chime which the hardware volume buttons don't affect. Plugging in an old snipped-off headphones cable is the only solution I have found so far. |
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Could you not just have a set of mini speakers which plugged
into the earphone socket and had their own volume knob, or
is that something you can't do with an iPhone? |
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It sounds like a global software volume control would be
sufficient, if it worked. |
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Honestly, this doesn't seem like it should be the most
difficult part of an operating system. |
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A few years ago, I bought a laptop and was delighted to discover a physical wheel to control volume. However. Seconds later, I realized there was no hard stop, its position was meaningless, and rotation merely induced, through bundled software, emulation of volume control 'media keys'. Words cannot express the disgust, humiliation and bitter disappointment that I felt. |
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// Words cannot express the disgust, humiliation and
bitter disappointment that I felt.// |
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My career trajectory led me to the same point, but
then eventually I found the words. |
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(in response to pocmloc's anno) |
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There's android apps that are supposed to disable the
startup
sound. Failing that, you could probably use Cyanogenmod
or
other custom firmware. |
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Seems to me that the startup sounds are a vendor thing. My
old Virgin Mobile phone had an annoying "VIRGIN! MOBILE!
bleep boop" sound, but my current T-Mobile phone has a
(almost silent) "doo doo doo dee doo" T-Mobile jingle. |
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My last several phones muted the sound if the
phone was set to silent mode before turning it off. |
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This exists on the more expensive devices.
Just to say that if you are really worried, you can always
stick a disconnected earphone socket in. (btw: [+]) |
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Android phones have a setting labeled 'system volume' that can
be toggled independent of other volumes such as notifications,
ringtone, and media. |
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When I press my volume key, either up or down, it briefly pops up
a slider bar to show the current level. To the right of the slider is a
settings icon. Tapping the settings icon brings up a list of all
available volumes, each with its own slider. Alternatively, going to
settings> sound > volumes brings up the same list. |
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Lowering the system volume to the silent position disables the
startup sound. The system volume also controls other sounds
like keypress clicks on the keyboard. I don't think iPhones give
you that much control of your phone. |
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You can buy a basic hammer for USD$2.99. They work pretty
well as a cure for iphoneys. |
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Or you could just look round for a nice big heavy rock ... |
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// Or you could just look round for a
nice big heavy rock ...// |
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Isn't that what the iPhone 6 Plus is for? |
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Most (if not all) Android smartphones can be 'rooted',
which basically means hacked. Once you've gained root
access to the operating system, you can uninstall all that
bloatware crap and disable programs from autostarting
in the background eating up your CPU. Ditto iPhones, but
instead of 'rooting', the process is called 'jailbreaking'.
This also (on Android at least) allows you to install
custom ROMs and enable settings that the carrier
software prevents you from using unless you pay them
extra money, such as WiFi and USB tethering. |
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So yes, there are some very good smartphones out there,
you just have to fiddle with them to unlock their true
potential. It really isn't very hard, either. I rooted my LG
G3 and managed to do everything I just described except
loading a custom ROM without even needing a computer.
I just started with a Google search on something like 'root
G3 without a computer', found a program called 'stump
grinder' or something similar (it's been a while now), and
downloaded it right to the phone. That app rooted the
phone, and from there I just searched the Google Play
Store for apps that require root access and found one
called 'WiFi Tether Router'. |
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It was ridiculously easy, which was good for me because I
know nothing about running ADB Shell or other computer-
connected methods of rooting a phone. The ease can vary
among phone models, however. Just start googling terms
like 'how to root [model of phone]'. |
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No need to strip it to pure hardware. Rooting doesn't delete
or uninstall anything in and of itself, nor does it install a
custom ROM like Cyanogenmod (you do that yourself AFTER
you've gained root permissions), it just gives you root access
to delete whatever programs you don't need or want, and
lets you activate whatever programs you need or want that
your carrier's software was preventing you from using. |
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wouldn't be too difficult to make a USB device with a couple of knobs on. De rigeur for pro digital music systems, though not in the tiny form factor required for a pc or smartphone. |
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