[jfisher]

some models of blackberry have a fantastic multi colour led which allows you to specify any rgb value as the colour, here's a little app that cycles through the palette, quite impressive the first time you see it. tested on a 8700 and 7100, not sure what other models have polychromatic leds:

sundaracommunications.net/downloads/blackberry/led.zip



and the relevant code snippets:
LED.isPolychromatic()
LED.setConfiguration(1000,1000,LED.BRIGHTNESS_100) ;
LED.setColorConfiguration(1000, 1000, 0x007f0000);
LED.setState(LED.STATE_BLINKING);

[KonTiki]

Does this app do anything more like allow you to choose or set them,or just display them?

[jfisher]

ha no, is just a quick app showing an overlooked part of the api.

[taeisme]

Is there any way to allow you to turn it on and off?

[jfisher]

you mean you'd like this on permanently even when the app isn't running? you can run the app again to turn it off.

i'll do a new version tomorrow where you can choose, it may effect your battery life to have it running all the time though.

[UweM]

Hi guys..

I tried it on my 7290 just for interest , it says false ....
So it seems I'm not one of the lucky "power users"
Uwe

[Mark Rejhon]

It's my understanding that all 71XX and 87XX models have polychromatic LED's.

None of the 6XXX, 72XX, 75XX, 77XX series have them.

You could, in theory, make an application that blends the LED in a continuous rainbow from violet->blue->green->yellow->orange->red in response to a specific meter, such as battery level, or signal level, etc. Kind of like an "alert" status. BlinkBerry does this in a crude kind of way, but it could be done in a more interesting and useful way.

Another overlooked part of the BlackBerry API is that you can turn the backlight on and off -- something I'd like to see used in more applications for alerting (i.e. reminders, etc)

[brace! brace!]

Originally Posted by Mark Rejhon

Another overlooked part of the BlackBerry API is that you can turn the backlight on and off -- something I'd like to see used in more applications for alerting (i.e. reminders, etc)

Mark,

Yes, I think I know what you mean. It's an app which I'm writing (slowly) at the moment. I just wanted to flash the screen as a visual warning/alert during a meeting without any sounds or vibration. Or when a message arrives with a "high" priority (or at least from my boss!!) it can also give the same warning.

Often the status LED is not visible enough when you're focused on a screen or another person rather than the BB when it's sat on a table in front of you.

At least I'm not the only one who thinks this is a worthwhile idea.

cheers

[jfisher]

one problem i've noticed when controlling the backlight is that although the api allows you to control using a percentage the light itself only allows 8 or so different levels... so you can't get smooth fades unless you do it quickly.

[brace! brace!]

Originally Posted by jfisher

one problem i've noticed when controlling the backlight is that although the api allows you to control using a percentage the light itself only allows 8 or so different levels... so you can't get smooth fades unless you do it quickly.

Yes, that's true but for what I'm thinking, I would not need a "smooth" transition, just flashing on-off at a pre-dertimined brightness setting as an alert rather than a "prettyness" thing.

Comming back to the original topic, one feature which I like from the LED API is that the LED can be turned off easily under various conditions where the blinking green LED can be annoying (eg when you go to bed and leave the BB on the bedside table).

[luriadotcom]

Personally I think it would be a neat to have the LED flash a certain color of your choosing ie: red=work/boss. blue=family, green=friends, yellow=school, etc.

[jayshen]

if this flashing frequency can be customized to reflect the ringtones...that would be great also maybe the signal strength, like red being no signal...or even battery life...but running this LED does consume the battery very fast...

[ShaneToronto]

Link is dead. Is there a new link?
Thanks.

[timmyc123]

Could someone please reup the zip file?

Thanks