Windows Phone 7 Turns on When Charging: Problem or Not?

[Jason Dunn]

<p>I received an email from a Windows Phone Thoughts reader who was quite irritated by a particular feature that some Windows Phone 7 devices seem to have: they turn on when connected to power if they're in a powered off state. In his own words:</p><p><em>"All Windows Phone 7 devices I have tried (since I'm in the USA, that means multiple Samsung Focus and HTC Surround devices) power on when you plug in a charging cable and, worse, if you power off while charging will instantly power back on. This is bad for anyone that turns their phone off at night to charge so they don't get woken up (like myself). It appears like this is either by design or a bug in the WP7 operating system."</em></p><p>When you power off the phone, then connect it to power, it automatically boots up. That's kind of stupid - why override what the user wants? If I'm turning off my phone and connecting it to power, it must be for a reason, right?</p><p>He goes on to say that it's also a problem that the phone will light up in the middle of the night when a new email/text comes in - his wife is a light sleeper, and this disturbs her. The LG Quantum does this as well, so I suspect all Windows Phone 7 devices turn on their screen when a new email/text comes in. I don't put my phone on my bedside table very often, or if I do, it's in silent mode and not connected to power - and I'm not the kind of sleeper that tends to get woken up by a small light. I can understand the scenario here though: what the phone should do is not turn on the screen at all if it's in silent or vibrate mode. Microsoft doesn't seem to have thought through the scenarios very well here.</p><p>So why doesn't Microsoft allow the phone to charge and stay powered off? And why does the screen light up when the phone is in silent or vibrate mode? Great questions. Survey time: tell me if these problems frustrate you or not. Sound off in the comments to clarify.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><script src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/4254523.js" type="text/javascript"></script></p><p><strong> UPDATE:</strong> I should clarify that the screen not turning on while in silent/vibrate mode would be user-configurable for specific times. Think of a "Blackout Period" during which your phone wouldn't make any sounds, wouldn't vibrate, and wouldn't turn the screen on. Think of it as a "Don't disturb me at all" setting, but you still have your phone powered up in case you need to use it quickly.</p>

[Sven Johannsen]

Need one more option. No it doesn't bother me, but it still needs to be fixed/changed/corrected. I can see many scenarios that I might want to turn the phone off and charge it, even though it is not especially irritating me.

[Kacey Green]

My screen only comes on for notifications I've selected, (not email) if it isn't if my pocket or face-down. I keep my phone on its face so the speaker is up for alarm duties at night.

During the day the screen only comes on for push, txt and alarms.

The turning on when on charge is weird but not a show stopper when compared with other things that need the dev's attention, like giving developers the rest of the APIs they promised, and increasing the push limit above 15, I hit that this morning and most apps don't handle it well.

[brianchris]

I think this is a problem, and am glad I'm not alone! I have always charged my phone while fully powered off at night (so it doesn't wake me up at night in any way), and that is no longer possible with WP7. Is there a reason for this, or is this some form of oversight by Microsoft?

Given that WP7 is currently a 1.0 release, it's surprisingly good! That being said, some improvements are things that need to be included in future update/versions, but I feel this "charging only while powered on" issue is something that should of been there from v1.0, given that all other previous cell phones have allowed charging while fully powered off.....this is a step backwards from what has been for a long time (perhaps since the very first cell phones), and my question is why?

Again, even with the 1.0 "green-ness," I love WP7, and look forward to future updates....I just hope the ability to charge while powered off is one of those updates!

[Don Tolson]

Hmmmm.. I've noticed too, that the screen comes on when you attach the unit to power, but it turns off again within a couple of minutes (at least for me).

At night, I only get sound/vibration notification of new emails, etc. -- not the screen coming on. And I don't see anything in Settings for the screen coming on with notifications -- just the sounds.

Suffice to say this hasn't been a problem for me, since the unit seems to charge pretty quickly (compared to other phones I've had).

[Jason Dunn]

At night, I only get sound/vibration notification of new emails, etc. -- not the screen coming on. And I don't see anything in Settings for the screen coming on with notifications -- just the sounds.

Hmm. When I tried a test - sending a text from my wife's phone to my phone when the screen was turned off but connected to power, it turned on the screen.

I wonder what the difference is? :confused:

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Hmm, I recall having a few phones that did this. Not the Android and WM phones though. Can't remember which. This is a bit of a pain for some. I guess the current option is to uh, use an app to schedule the speaker's abilities for now? I suppose buying another phone is out of the question for now. :D

[Fritzly]

Yes I noted this issue the first night I tried to switch the phone off and charge it; I aso tried to connect it to the charger and after that turn it off but no luck.

Simply put it is a bad design choice; why I have to keep the phone on all night? Yes I know people who sleep with the TV running all night but it is their choice and if they push the remote the TV shut down.

Besides another even more serious issue is the fact that when you enter your password to unlock the device the numbers yu push light up as Christmas trees..... big security issue.

[randalllewis]

what the phone should do is not turn on the screen at all if it's in silent or vibrate mode.
<SCRIPT type=text/javascript src="http://static.polldaddy.com/p/4254523.js"></SCRIPT>



Boy, I really disagree with you here. I find it to be very convenient to have the phone in silent or vibrate while face up in front of me during meetings. Depending on the meeting situation or locale, I may not notice the vibration but I can certainly see arrival of the message or call. Depending on the importance of the incoming information and/or the tediousness of the meeting, I can choose to take the call or read the message, or tap the power key to shut the screen off again. http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel?a.1=p-18-mFEk4J448M&a.2=p-ab3gTb8xb3dLg&labels.1=type.polldaddy.poll

http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel?a.1=p-18-mFEk4J448M&a.2=p-ab3gTb8xb3dLg&labels.1=type.polldaddy.poll

http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel?a.1=p-18-mFEk4J448M&a.2=p-ab3gTb8xb3dLg&labels.1=type.polldaddy.poll

[Jason Dunn]

Boy, I really disagree with you here. I find it to be very convenient to have the phone in silent or vibrate while face up in front of me during meetings. Depending on the meeting situation or locale, I may not notice the vibration but I can certainly see arrival of the message or call.

I hear you...but I think it should be an option. Or, better yet, have some sort of a "black out" period where your phone would be smart enough to not turn the screen on or even ring. Say, midnight to 6am or something - make it user configurable.

Ultimately I want more control over how the phone fits into my lifestyle, and Microsoft isn't yet giving me that.

[Crooza]

Has anyone notice plug into the computer to charge it. It random it turn it self off and back on again and need a sim pin to re entered . Not noticing till u need to make a call or check if its on. Could just be me??? Sorry off topic

[holtwm]

Just discovered this trick. Put the phone in airplane mode at night so that it doesn't receive texts, emails, etc. but the alarm still works. Also it won't light up since it is not doing or receiving anything.

Will

[bfrostie]

It is the same for my Moto Droid (and I think for all Android phones). I don't see the problem. If it bothers you that your phone is on at night, put it in airplane mode so you don't get notifications. Or silence all sounds.

[brianchris]

Just discovered this trick. Put the phone in airplane mode at night so that it doesn't receive texts, emails, etc. but the alarm still works. Also it won't light up since it is not doing or receiving anything.

Will

Interesting! Still a work-around, but an effective one! Why didn't I think of that? :) Thank you for the idea.

[brianchris]

Interesting! Still a work-around, but an effective one! Why didn't I think of that? :) Thank you for the idea.

I may have spoken too soon....this doesn't help with calendar reminders that may go off at night, especially considering the infamous midnight birthday reminders from Windows Mobile (are *those* still present in WP7??)

<O:p</O:pAgain, a good work-around idea, but not a perfect fix (which is hopefully forthcoming).

What have I been doing to date? (since this *is* an issue for me): Every night is go into Settings > Ringtones & Sounds > turn off *both* ringer AND vibrate, then turn the phone face down all night. Reverse that process every morning. It gets the job done, but kind of hokey for an otherwise excellent phone!

<O:p</O:p

[Jason Dunn]

I may have spoken too soon....this doesn't help with calendar reminders that may go off at night, especially considering the infamous midnight birthday reminders from Windows Mobile (are *those* still present in WP7??)

The birthday reminders thing has been fixed. The only reminders you'll have going off at midnight are the ones you set yourself. :)

UPDATE: Um, OK, someone has told me this isn't fixed after all in WP7. Hmm. I need to test this!

[John Cody]

Another possible consideration is that a phone will typically charge faster if it is powered off and not on while charging it. So, if you are in a hurry to charge your phone, you may want to keep it powered off.

[Don Tolson]

Hmm. When I tried a test - sending a text from my wife's phone to my phone when the screen was turned off but connected to power, it turned on the screen.

I wonder what the difference is? :confused:

Apparently, email notification won't turn on the screen, but texts will. This kind of makes sense to me, since texts are much more 'immediate' and are probably expecting some kind of response. Emails most people will get to later, so you don't need to turn on the screen to see the content.

BTW, incoming phone calls also turn on the screen:rolleyes: but for obvious reasons....

[Jason Dunn]

Apparently, email notification won't turn on the screen, but texts will. This kind of makes sense to me, since texts are much more 'immediate' and are probably expecting some kind of response. Emails most people will get to later, so you don't need to turn on the screen to see the content. BTW, incoming phone calls also turn on the screen:rolleyes: but for obvious reasons....

I get that, but I also disagree with the assumption that if someone texts me at 2 AM, the screen should turn on. As a user, it should be my prerogative to have my phone not do a damn thing unless I want it to. :)

[Sven Johannsen]

The birthday reminders thing has been fixed. The only reminders you'll have going off at midnight are the ones you set yourself. :)

UPDATE: Um, OK, someone has told me this isn't fixed after all in WP7. Hmm. I need to test this!
I don't think this is ever going to go away through a phone fix. I believe the issue is whether or not some methods of entering a birthday or anniversary on a calendar set an alarm or not. If it is set on an all day event, it alarms at the beginning of that event, or whatever offset is set. Seemed to me that when contact special days were entered in Outlook, it automatically stuck in a calendar appointment, WITH alarm. So as long as that alram is set somewhere, and you are diligent about syncing, your desktop, to the web, and to your phone, you are going to wind up with an alarm set. I just went to list view in Outlook which cleary shows which all day events have alarms and shut them off. No phone problem since.

P.S. Just created a fake contact, in my Outlook Live Contacts, Birthday Boy, and gave him a Birthday of 12/17/2000. The calendar now shows me tomorrow is his birthday, and set an alarm. As soon as that propagates to my phone, guess when that will go off.

[Jason Dunn]

I don't think this is ever going to go away through a phone fix. I believe the issue is whether or not some methods of entering a birthday or anniversary on a calendar set an alarm or not.

Well, which do you think is easier:

1) The Windows Phone team being able to convince the Outlook team to change how they do birthday reminders

or

2) The Windows Phone team building something into the software on the phone that will override the stupid implementation by the Outlook team

The only way this issue will get addressed is via #2.

[Richard76]

From a development point of view, you would think the design team would be driven by the law of averages. In other words, consider what percentage of users would want the display off while charging vs on. What percentage of users would be sleeping between say 12 am and 6 am, etc.

Then create a default setting like, display off while charging, no alerts (or screen coming on) while sleeping, however, allow each setting to be customized by the user.

Perhaps I am missing something but I don't think this is rocket science, just good forethought.

[neo158]

I voted No. My HD7 keeps the screen off when I recieve a text, email or missed call and just plays a tone, had to configure this myself. When charging the screen switches on initially but I can switch it off and it stays off as there is a charging LED, this might be why some devices automatically switch on while charging.